Permutations in dictionary order

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If all the letters of the word UDAIPUR are arranged in all possible permutations and these permutations are listed in dictionary order, then the rank of the word UDAIPUR is_____? 1)1580 2)1579) 3)1582 4)1850
Now in dictionary order the words would look like ADIPRUU So with A in the starting place there would be 6!/2! =360 ways D in first place 360. I in first place 360...in short 360*5 = 1800 ways Now I am stuck. Only 50 more permutations when U in the first place? I am totally confused. Please help me understand.
 
If all the letters of the word UDAIPUR are arranged in all possible permutations and these permutations are listed in dictionary order, then the rank of the word UDAIPUR is_____? 1)1580 2)1579) 3)1582 4)1850
Now in dictionary order the words would look like ADIPRUU So with A in the starting place there would be 6!/2! =360 ways D in first place 360. I in first place 360...in short 360*5 = 1800 ways Now I am stuck. Only 50 more permutations when U in the first place? I am totally confused. Please help me understand.
Sorry the word is UDAYPUR not UDAIPUR and I cannot solve beyond 6!/2!
 
I tried to follow the same strategy that you used. I'm not sure but I think:
Starting with:
A there are [imath]\dfrac{6!}{2!}=360[/imath] ways
D there are [imath]\dfrac{6!}{2!}=360[/imath] ways
P there are [imath]\dfrac{6!}{2!}=360[/imath] ways
R there are [imath]\dfrac{6!}{2!}=360[/imath] ways
UA there are [imath]5!=120[/imath] ways
UDA is correct
UDAP there are [imath]3!=6[/imath] ways
UDAR there are [imath]3!=6[/imath] ways
UDAU there are [imath]3!=6[/imath] ways
UDAYP there are [imath]2!=2[/imath] ways and the second one is what you want.

360 + 360 + 360 +360 + 120 + 6 + 6 +6 + 2 = 1580 so I think it would be the 1580th word in the list of 2520.

However when I tried to do it in reverse alphabetical order I got it to be the 1579th word.
 
Last edited:
I tried to follow the same strategy that you used. I'm not sure but I think:
Starting with:
A there are [imath]\dfrac{6!}{2!}=360[/imath] ways
D there are [imath]\dfrac{6!}{2!}=360[/imath] ways
P there are [imath]\dfrac{6!}{2!}=360[/imath] ways
R there are [imath]\dfrac{6!}{2!}=360[/imath] ways
UA there are [imath]5!=120[/imath] ways
UDA is correct
UDAP there are [imath]3!=6[/imath] ways
UDAR there are [imath]3!=6[/imath] ways
UDAU there are [imath]3!=6[/imath] ways
UDAYP there are [imath]2!=2[/imath] ways and the second one is what you want.

360 + 360 + 360 +360 + 120 + 6 + 6 +6 + 2 = 1580 so I think it would be the 1580th word in the list of 2520.

However when I tried to do it in reverse alphabetical order I got it to be the 1579th word
I guess you are almost there. Must be a minor mistake of adding 1 to get the rank. I tried with prototype MUSIC. I got 72nd rank. But with repeated letters I get confused. Is 72nd rank correct?
 
Do you know how to figure out the rank of a "regular" permutation, i.e. the one without repeated elements? E.g. what is the order of 35142? I don't know the answer myself, but I'd take a look at Lehmer code.
 
Okay I assume REGULAR could be arranged as AEGLR1R2U in dictionary order. Assuming R1 and R2 separate alphabets, I think REGULAR rank is 3045. But I am not sure. Please correct
 
A in first place 6!, E in first place another 6!, likewise for G and L in first place total 2880.
Now R1A fixed : 5!=120
R1EA : 4! = 24
R1EGA,R1EGL,R1EGR2, 3! for each=3!*3=18
R1EGUA : 2!=2
R1EGULAR2 : 1 way
Total : 3045
 
I'm confused. How are you defining rank? There are 2520 ways to arrange REGULAR. So how can one of them have rank 3045?
 
I'm confused. How are you defining rank? There are 2520 ways to arrange REGULAR. So how can one of them have rank 3045?
I believe in that post two R's are considered different (R1 and R2), so there are actually 5040 ways.
 
A in first place 6!, E in first place another 6!, likewise for G and L in first place total 2880.
Now R1A fixed : 5!=120
R1EA : 4! = 24
R1EGA,R1EGL,R1EGR2, 3! for each=3!*3=18
R1EGUA : 2!=2
R1EGULAR2 : 1 way
Total : 3045
Clearly this is not correct. Have you tried treating R and R as being different? It isn't a lot harder.

I notice that there are online calculators that give your answer as if it were correct; perhaps their authors were taught an incorrect definition for rank in this case. (You can see how wrong it is by entering, say, ABA.)

Here is one place I find some correct methods:

A correct calculator mentioned there no longer exists.
 
I hope it's obvious that I meant to say, "Have you tried treating R and R as being indistinguishable?"

The error, if we call it that, is in changing them to R1 and R2, which are different. That changes the problem.
 
I believe in that post two R's are considered different (R1 and R2), so there are actually 5040 ways.
Now I'm really confused. I looked at REGULAR very carefully. Does one of the R's have red hair? Is one of the R's taller? Just how are they different? Also, the four answers given by the OP in post #1 clearly imply that the R's are identical.
 
Now I'm really confused. I looked at REGULAR very carefully. Does one of the R's have red hair? Is one of the R's taller? Just how are they different? Also, the four answers given by the OP in post #1 clearly imply that the R's are identical.
Yes; but the comment you refer to is about an answer ("in that post") that treated them as R1 and R2:
A in first place 6!, E in first place another 6!, likewise for G and L in first place total 2880.
Now R1A fixed : 5!=120
R1EA : 4! = 24
R1EGA,R1EGL,R1EGR2, 3! for each=3!*3=18
R1EGUA : 2!=2
R1EGULAR2 : 1 way
Total : 3045
So it isn't yet answering the actual question. That's the point.

Your own answer, by the way, looks fine:
I tried to follow the same strategy that you used. I'm not sure but I think:
Starting with:
A there are [imath]\dfrac{6!}{2!}=360[/imath] ways
D there are [imath]\dfrac{6!}{2!}=360[/imath] ways
P there are [imath]\dfrac{6!}{2!}=360[/imath] ways
R there are [imath]\dfrac{6!}{2!}=360[/imath] ways
UA there are [imath]5!=120[/imath] ways
UDA is correct
UDAP there are [imath]3!=6[/imath] ways
UDAR there are [imath]3!=6[/imath] ways
UDAU there are [imath]3!=6[/imath] ways
UDAYP there are [imath]2!=2[/imath] ways and the second one is what you want.

360 + 360 + 360 +360 + 120 + 6 + 6 +6 + 2 = 1580 so I think it would be the 1580th word in the list of 2520.

However when I tried to do it in reverse alphabetical order I got it to be the 1579th word.
But perhaps you need to explain the last line, which implies you're not sure you were right.
 
Yes; but the comment you refer to is about an answer ("in that post") that treated them as R1 and R2:
Actually I was saying that the answer made an assumption (R's are distinguishable) that did not appear (and was not implied) in the OP.
Your own answer, by the way, looks fine:

But perhaps you need to explain the last line, which implies you're not sure you were right.
When counting backwards, I stopped at the word just after the one I wanted. I should have gone one more. As you say, 1580 is correct.
 
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