Permutation Meaning and Definition
Permutation
Pronunciation
/ˌpərˌmjuːˈteɪʃn/
Part of Speech
Noun
Definition
A rearrangement of the elements of a set, or an arrangement of objects in a particular order, often used in mathematics and computing to describe a sequence of events or a specific combination of items.
Examples
- The permutation of the letters in the sentence “hello world” resulted in a new sequence.
- The algorithm generated a random permutation of the numbers 1-10.
- The musician rearranged the notes in the melody to create a new permutation.
- The programmer used a permutation algorithm to generate all possible combinations of a set of variables.
- The statistician used permutation testing to determine the significance of the results.
Etymology
The word “permutation” comes from the Old French “permuter”, meaning “to change”, and the Latin “permuto”, meaning “to exchange”.
Usage Notes
Permutation is often used in mathematical and scientific contexts to describe a specific ordering or arrangement of elements. It can also be used in a more general sense to describe a rearrangement or reshuffling of objects or events.
Cultural References
The concept of permutation has appeared in various forms of media, such as puzzles, games, and art.
Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases
“Shuffle the deck”: This idiomatic phrase refers to the process of rearranging the elements of a set, often in a random or predetermined order.
Related Words or Phrases
- Combination
- Arrangement
- Sequence
- Order
Collocations
- Permutation of letters
- Random permutation
- Permutation test
- Permutation algorithm
Frequency of Use
Permutation is a technical term that is commonly used in mathematical and scientific contexts, but less frequently used in everyday language.
Common Misspellings
- Permutate
- Permutat
- Persmutate