Worksheets · Foundation and Higher

Systematic lists and combinations

8 exam-style questions, grades 2 to 6. Worked solutions and the marks are on the last page.

  1. Question 1Non-calculator · 3 marks

    A café sells three kinds of sandwich: cheese (C), ham (H) and egg (E). It sells two drinks: tea (T) and juice (J). Lucy buys one sandwich and one drink.

    (a) List all the possible combinations Lucy could buy. (2)

    (b) How many different combinations are there? (1)

  2. Question 2Non-calculator · 4 marks

    Ella has four coins in her pocket: 10p, 20p, 50p and £1. She takes out two coins at random.

    (a) Work out how many different pairs of coins she could take out. (2)

    (b) How many of the pairs have a total value of more than 75p? (2)

  3. Question 3Non-calculator · 2 marks

    (a) Use two different digits from 2, 4 and 7 to make a two-digit even number. How many different numbers can be made? (2)

  4. Question 4Non-calculator · 4 marks

    A café offers 3 sandwich fillings, 3 breads and 2 drinks. A meal has one of each. One filling is unavailable with one particular bread, with either drink.

    (a) Work out how many different available meals there are. (3)

    (b) Explain why adding the numbers of choices does not count the meals. (1)

  5. Question 5Non-calculator · 4 marks

    Use two different digits from 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 to form a two-digit number.

    (a) How many of the numbers are even? (2)

    (b) How many of the numbers are odd? (2)

  6. Question 6Non-calculator · 4 marks

    A lock code consists of a letter A, B or C followed by one digit from 1 to 6. Codes beginning with A must use an even digit.

    (a) Work out the number of permitted codes. (3)

    (b) Explain how to list the codes without omissions. (1)

  7. Question 7Non-calculator · 4 marks

    Use two different digits from 1, 2, 4, 6 to form a two-digit number.

    (a) How many of the numbers are even? (2)

    (b) How many of the numbers are odd? (2)

  8. Question 8Non-calculator · 5 marks

    Three positive whole numbers add up to 1212. The order does not matter, so 2+3+72 + 3 + 7 and 7+2+37 + 2 + 3 count as the same set.

    (a) Work out how many different sets of three numbers there are. (3)

    (b) Three sticks have these whole-number lengths, in cm, and are used as the sides of a triangle. For how many of the sets from part (a) can a triangle be made? (2)

Worked solutions and marks

Question 1

(a) CT, CJ, HT, HJ, ET, EJ

  1. Work through the sandwiches in order, pairing each with every drink: CT, CJ, then HT, HJ, then ET, EJ.
  • B1 At least three correct combinations with no repeats.
  • B1 All six combinations, with no extras and no repeats.

(b) 66

  1. Count the list: 33 sandwiches each with 22 drinks makes 66.
  • B1 The correct answer, 66.

Question 2

(a) 66

  1. Pair each coin only with the coins after it in the list: 10p with 20p, 50p, £1; 20p with 50p, £1; 50p with £1.
  2. 3+2+1=63 + 2 + 1 = 6 pairs.
  • M1 A systematic list of pairs with at least four correct and no repeats.
  • A1 The correct answer, 66.

(b) 33

  1. The totals are 30p, 60p, 110p, 70p, 120p and 150p.
  2. Those over 75p are 110p, 120p and 150p: 33 pairs, each containing the £1 coin.
  • M1 Finding the totals of the pairs.
  • A1 The correct answer, 33.

Question 3

(a) 44

  1. An even number must end in 2 or 4. List the possibilities by last digit.
  2. An even number must end in 2 or 4. List the possibilities by last digit.
  3. Ending in 2 gives 42 and 72. Ending in 4 gives 24 and 74.
  4. There are 4 different numbers.
  • P1 An even number must end in 2 or 4. List the possibilities by last digit.
  • A1 Correct answer: 44

Question 4

(a) 1616

  1. Count all unrestricted choices.
    3×3×23\times 3\times 2
  2. Remove the two drinks paired with the unavailable sandwich.
    18−218-2
  3. Therefore 1616.
  • P1 Count all unrestricted choices.
  • P1 Remove the two drinks paired with the unavailable sandwich.
  • A1 Correct answer: 1616

(b) Each filling can be paired with each bread and each drink, so combinations require multiplication before removing restrictions.

  1. Each filling can be paired with each bread and each drink, so combinations require multiplication before removing restrictions.
  • C1 Correct conclusion with supporting reasoning: Each filling can be paired with each bread and each drink, so combinations require multiplication before removing restrictions.

Question 5

(a) 1616

  1. Each even units digit leaves one fewer tens choices.
    4×44\times 4
  2. Therefore 1616.
  • P1 Each even units digit leaves one fewer tens choices.
  • A1 Correct answer: 1616

(b) 44

  1. The units digit must be 1; choose any other tens digit.
    5−15-1
  2. Therefore 44.
  • M1 The units digit must be 1; choose any other tens digit.
  • A1 Correct answer: 44

Question 6

(a) 1515

  1. Count codes beginning with B or C.
    2×62\times 6
  2. Add the choices for A using only the even digits.
    12+312+3
  3. Therefore 1515.
  • P1 Count codes beginning with B or C.
  • P1 Add the choices for A using only the even digits.
  • A1 Correct answer: 1515

(b) List all A codes in digit order, then all B codes, then all C codes; apply the even-digit restriction only to A.

  1. List all A codes in digit order, then all B codes, then all C codes; apply the even-digit restriction only to A.
  • C1 Correct conclusion with supporting reasoning: List all A codes in digit order, then all B codes, then all C codes; apply the even-digit restriction only to A.

Question 7

(a) 99

  1. Each even units digit leaves one fewer tens choices.
    3×33\times 3
  2. Therefore 99.
  • P1 Each even units digit leaves one fewer tens choices.
  • A1 Correct answer: 99

(b) 33

  1. The units digit must be 1; choose any other tens digit.
    4−14-1
  2. Therefore 33.
  • M1 The units digit must be 1; choose any other tens digit.
  • A1 Correct answer: 33

Question 8

(a) 1212

  1. List with the numbers in decreasing order, starting from the largest possible first number.
  2. 10+1+1, 9+2+1, 8+3+1, 8+2+2, 7+4+1, 7+3+2,10{+}1{+}1,\ 9{+}2{+}1,\ 8{+}3{+}1,\ 8{+}2{+}2,\ 7{+}4{+}1,\ 7{+}3{+}2,
  3. 6+5+1, 6+4+2, 6+3+3, 5+5+2, 5+4+3, 4+4+46{+}5{+}1,\ 6{+}4{+}2,\ 6{+}3{+}3,\ 5{+}5{+}2,\ 5{+}4{+}3,\ 4{+}4{+}4
  4. That is 12 sets.
  • P1 A systematic method: writing each set in decreasing order and working down from the largest first number.
  • P1 At least eight correct sets with no repeats.
  • A1 The correct answer, 1212.

(b) 33

  1. A triangle is possible only when the longest side is less than the sum of the other two.
  2. With a total of 1212, the longest side LL needs L<12−LL < 12 - L, so L<6L < 6.
  3. The sets with largest number below 66: 5+5+25 + 5 + 2, 5+4+35 + 4 + 3, 4+4+44 + 4 + 4. That is 33.
  • P1 Using the triangle condition, largest side less than the sum of the other two (so less than 6).
  • A1 The correct answer, 33.

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Systematic lists and combinations

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Independent practice for Pearson Edexcel GCSE Mathematics (1MA1), not endorsed by Pearson.

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