Easy permutations formula/assistance req'd!

[ReaderScars]

Hi all, would like to determine how many different combinations that could be achieved from a range of, say Lego parts.

Let's say I have 10 diferent parts, labelled A, B, C >> J

If A can be used with one other A, then that would be the first combination. Then x2 A's etc etc up to x10, for example.

Then x1 A could work with x1 B, x2 B, x3 B etc etc.

Does that make sense - can anyone help determine the number of all other permutations/combinations from x10 different Lego parts with a quantity of x1 each, please?

[ReaderScars]

mike_knott said:

Isn't it just the maximum number of parts raised to the power of the total number of parts? (10^10 in this case = 10,000,000,000)

Mike...

Ooh, answering a question with a question, love those kind of responses! Thanks for your suggestion, let's see who agrees, eh.

[ReaderScars]

Eric Mc said:

Knowing my skills with Lego - 4.

It's actually Lepin, so should we settle on 3.5 (due to the poor fit, of course )

[ReaderScars]

Sorry Jabbah, that last x1 in my OP should be x10 - or to be specific, up to x10.

So I'd like to be able to state how many combinations there could be when using ten parts, which have ten different shapes, in as many different combinations as possible (don't need to calculate what those actual combinations are, just the final number).

Hopefully that makes it a little simpler?

[ReaderScars]

Thanks Mike, Jabbah

[ReaderScars]

I feel like I should be careful how I spend these remaining brain cells, so won't tackle the test tube conundrum just in case.

But I thank you for the further possibilities which your mathemagics has revealed. And for taking the time to show your working-out (extra marks!)

[ReaderScars]

V8LM said:

Mother Nature folds the string into the same structure (almost) each and every time in a fraction of a second!

Is this the output of mitochondria or 'something'?

[ReaderScars]

Sorry to drag this up again, but seeing some results which I don't understand, for ten each of x25 different shaped blocks.

1.551121e+25<this was the result of googling "25!"

Can anyone put me right again please? Just to clarify, trying to determine the number of combinations of shapes that could be made with 25 different blocks, x10 of each.

[ReaderScars]

Argh. OK.