COMBIN

In this comprehensive guide, we will explore everything you need to know about the COMBIN function in Excel. The COMBIN function is a useful tool for calculating the number of possible combinations for a given set of items. This function is particularly helpful in statistics, probability, and combinatorics. By the end of this article, you will have a thorough understanding of the COMBIN function, its syntax, examples, tips and tricks, common mistakes, and related formulae.

COMBIN Syntax

The syntax for the COMBIN function in Excel is as follows:

=COMBIN(number, number_chosen)

Where:

• number is the total number of items in the set. This argument must be a non-negative integer.
• number_chosen is the number of items to be chosen from the set. This argument must also be a non-negative integer.

The COMBIN function returns the number of combinations for a given set of items without considering the order of the items. The formula for calculating combinations is:

C(n, k) = n! / (k! * (n-k)!)

Where “n” is the total number of items, “k” is the number of items chosen, and “!” denotes the factorial of a number.

COMBIN Examples

Let’s explore some examples of using the COMBIN function in Excel:

1. Example 1: You have a deck of 52 playing cards, and you want to know how many different 5-card poker hands can be dealt. To calculate this, you can use the COMBIN function as follows:

=COMBIN(52, 5)

This formula will return 2,598,960, which is the total number of possible 5-card poker hands.

1. Example 2: You are organizing a committee of 3 people from a group of 10 candidates. To find out how many different ways you can form the committee, use the COMBIN function:

=COMBIN(10, 3)

This formula will return 120, which is the total number of possible combinations for selecting 3 people from a group of 10.

1. Example 3: You have 8 different books and want to know how many ways you can choose 4 books to take on a trip. Use the COMBIN function to calculate the number of combinations:

=COMBIN(8, 4)

This formula will return 70, which is the total number of possible combinations for selecting 4 books from a set of 8.

COMBIN Tips & Tricks

Here are some tips and tricks to help you make the most of the COMBIN function in Excel:

• Remember that the COMBIN function does not consider the order of the items. If you need to calculate permutations (where the order matters), use the PERMUT function instead.
• If you need to calculate combinations with repetitions allowed, use the COMBINA function.
• When working with large numbers, the COMBIN function may return a result in scientific notation. To display the result in a more readable format, you can change the cell format to “Number” and increase the number of decimal places if necessary.
• Be cautious when using non-integer values as arguments for the COMBIN function. Excel will truncate any decimal values to integers before performing the calculation.

Common Mistakes When Using COMBIN

Here are some common mistakes to avoid when using the COMBIN function:

• Using negative numbers as arguments. Both the “number” and “number_chosen” arguments must be non-negative integers.
• Using the COMBIN function when the order of items matters. In such cases, use the PERMUT function instead.
• Forgetting that Excel truncates decimal values to integers. Ensure that you are using integer values as arguments for the COMBIN function.

Why Isn’t My COMBIN Function Working?

If your COMBIN function is not working as expected, consider the following troubleshooting steps:

• Check that both the “number” and “number_chosen” arguments are non-negative integers.
• Ensure that you are using the correct function for your calculation. If the order of items matters, use the PERMUT function instead of COMBIN.
• Verify that your formula is entered correctly and that there are no typos or syntax errors.
• Make sure that your cell format is set to “Number” if the result is displayed in scientific notation.

COMBIN: Related Formulae

Here are some related formulae that you may find useful when working with combinations and permutations in Excel:

1. PERMUT: Calculates the number of permutations for a given set of items. Use this function when the order of items matters.

=PERMUT(number, number_chosen)

2. COMBINA: Calculates the number of combinations with repetitions allowed for a given set of items.

=COMBINA(number, number_chosen)

3. FACT: Calculates the factorial of a given number.

=FACT(number)

4. FACTDOUBLE: Calculates the double factorial of a given number.

=FACTDOUBLE(number)

5. MULTINOMIAL: Calculates the multinomial coefficient for a given set of numbers.

=MULTINOMIAL(number1, [number2], …)

By mastering the COMBIN function and its related formulae, you can efficiently solve a wide range of problems involving combinations, permutations, and probability in Excel.