FTCE General Knowledge Math Practice Test

Which term is associated with the rearrangement of items to consider different orders?

1. Permutations

2. Combinations

3. Substitutions

4. Linear relationships

The correct answer is: Permutations

The correct response is linked to the concept of arrangements of items where the order matters. In mathematics, permutations refer to the different possible arrangements of a set of items. For instance, if you have three letters A, B, and C, the permutations would be ABC, ACB, BAC, BCA, CAB, and CBA, illustrating that changing the order creates a distinct arrangement. On the other hand, combinations deal with selections where the order does not matter. For example, the combination of the letters A, B, and C considers AB and BA as the same group. The term substitutions is not specific to arrangements but rather refers to replacing one element with another. Linear relationships describe a type of equation or graph rather than arrangements of items. Therefore, permutations accurately describe the concept of rearranging items into different orders.