I have theses numbers:- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and I need to work out all
the combinations these numbers have in sets of 4. By this I mean for
example, 1234, 1236 etc....using each number once in a set..(so there are no
duplicates)
i.e. Not 1124. Is there any worksheet function/formula I could make in
excel to work out and hence display all the possible four set combinations
there are?
But not the total of combinations i.e. just one number..because I already
know how to calculate the number of combinations there can be.

Or is there any alternatives other than writing them all out by hand?!

Thanks.

Hi

Have a look at PERMUT(). It might be part of the analysis toolpak add-in. If
it is, and you don't have it loaded, you will get an error. To load it, go
to Tools|Addins . . . and select it from the list.
Hope this helps.

--
Andy.


"pav55" wrote in message
...
I have theses numbers:- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and I need to work out
all
the combinations these numbers have in sets of 4. By this I mean for
example, 1234, 1236 etc....using each number once in a set..(so there are
no
duplicates)
i.e. Not 1124. Is there any worksheet function/formula I could make in
excel to work out and hence display all the possible four set combinations
there are?
But not the total of combinations i.e. just one number..because I already
know how to calculate the number of combinations there can be.

Or is there any alternatives other than writing them all out by hand?!

Thanks.

Logically, look at it this way :
When you select the first number you have 9 possibilities
When you select the second number you have 8 possibilities left
and so on
Therefore...

=9*8*7*6 or 3024

Here is a link with the formula you need. The excel function is
FACTORIAL().

http://www.andrews.edu/~calkins/math...rod02.htm#PERM

-- Carlos

"pav55" wrote in message
...
I have theses numbers:- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and I need to work out
all
the combinations these numbers have in sets of 4. By this I mean for
example, 1234, 1236 etc....using each number once in a set..(so there are
no
duplicates)
i.e. Not 1124. Is there any worksheet function/formula I could make in
excel to work out and hence display all the possible four set combinations
there are?
But not the total of combinations i.e. just one number..because I already
know how to calculate the number of combinations there can be.

Or is there any alternatives other than writing them all out by hand?!

Thanks.

I do this type of operation fairly regularily
enter 1 thr 9 in cells A1 to A9
copy these cells and paste to A1:A81
copy A1:A81 and paste to B1:B81
Sort Column A by itself
copy A1:B81 and paste to A1:B729
Copy B1:B729 and paste to C1:C729
Sort Column B by itself
Copy A1:C729 and paste to A1:C6561
Copy C1:C6561 and paste to D1:D6561
Sort Column C by itself
in Cell E1 enter
=if(or(A1=B1,A1=C1,A1=D1,B1=C1,B1=D1,C1=D1),1,0)
Copy E1 and paste to E1:E6561
Select Columns A:E and sort by column E
Delete all of the Rows with a 1 in column E.
(I would check that My 9 to the powers numbers are correct)

There are, of course many ways to do this.
By the time you get to about 6 combos, You run out of rows if you dont
delete between steps
in that Case I would use a macro similer to

sub ser4()
r=1
for J = 1 to 9
for j = 1 to 9
if j=i then goto 53
for k = 1 to 9
if k = i or k = j then goto 52
for m = 1 to 9
if m = i or m = j or m = k then goto 51
cells(r,1)=i:cells(r,2)=j:Cells(r,3)=k:cells(r,4)= m:r=r+1
51 next m
52 next k
53 next j
next i
end sub

Please note this is what I call a brute force sub.
It is what I would do for doing something simple once. If you are going to
do something a bunch or if others will be running a sub or if the sub is
complex. it is best to "dim" everything and use option explicit etc and put
in comments to explain what you are doing.



"pav55" wrote:

I have theses numbers:- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and I need to work out all
the combinations these numbers have in sets of 4. By this I mean for
example, 1234, 1236 etc....using each number once in a set..(so there are no
duplicates)
i.e. Not 1124. Is there any worksheet function/formula I could make in
excel to work out and hence display all the possible four set combinations
there are?
But not the total of combinations i.e. just one number..because I already
know how to calculate the number of combinations there can be.

Or is there any alternatives other than writing them all out by hand?!

Thanks.

I thought you said it pretty clearly you already knew about combin, permut,
and fact, but maybe not. Anyway, here is code written by Myrna Larson which
will do what you want: (hope you know how to use a macro)

Option Explicit

Dim vAllItems As Variant
Dim Buffer() As String
Dim BufferPtr As Long
Dim Results As Worksheet
'
' Posted by Myrna Larson
' July 25, 2000
' Microsoft.Public.Excel.Misc
' Subject: Combin
'
'
'Since you asked, here it is. It is generic, i.e. it isn't written
specifically
'for a given population and set size, as yours it. It will do permutations
or
'combinations. It uses a recursive routine to generate the subsets, one
routine
'for combinations, a different one for permutations.

'To use it, you put the letter C or P (for combinations or permutations) in
a
'cell. The cell below that contains the number of items in a subset. The
cells
'below are a list of the items that make up the population. They could be
'numbers, letters and symbols, or words, etc.

'You select the top cell, or the entire range and run the sub. The subsets
are
'written to a new sheet in the workbook.
'
'

Sub ListPermutations()
Dim Rng As Range
Dim PopSize As Integer
Dim SetSize As Integer
Dim Which As String
Dim N As Double
Const BufferSize As Long = 4096

Set Rng = Selection.Columns(1).Cells
If Rng.Cells.Count = 1 Then
Set Rng = Range(Rng, Rng.End(xlDown))
End If

PopSize = Rng.Cells.Count - 2
If PopSize < 2 Then GoTo DataError

SetSize = Rng.Cells(2).Value
If SetSize PopSize Then GoTo DataError

Which = UCase$(Rng.Cells(1).Value)
Select Case Which
Case "C"
N = Application.WorksheetFunction.Combin(PopSize, SetSize)
Case "P"
N = Application.WorksheetFunction.Permut(PopSize, SetSize)
Case Else
GoTo DataError
End Select
If N Cells.Count Then GoTo DataError

Application.ScreenUpdating = False

Set Results = Worksheets.Add

vAllItems = Rng.Offset(2, 0).Resize(PopSize).Value
ReDim Buffer(1 To BufferSize) As String
BufferPtr = 0

If Which = "C" Then
AddCombination PopSize, SetSize
Else
AddPermutation PopSize, SetSize
End If
vAllItems = 0

Application.ScreenUpdating = True
Exit Sub

DataError:
If N = 0 Then
Which = "Enter your data in a vertical range of at least 4 cells. " _
& String$(2, 10) _
& "Top cell must contain the letter C or P, 2nd cell is the number " _
& "of items in a subset, the cells below are the values from which " _
& "the subset is to be chosen."

Else
Which = "This requires " & Format$(N, "#,##0") & _
" cells, more than are available on the worksheet!"
End If
MsgBox Which, vbOKOnly, "DATA ERROR"
Exit Sub
End Sub

Private Sub AddPermutation(Optional PopSize As Integer = 0, _
Optional SetSize As Integer = 0, _
Optional NextMember As Integer = 0)

Static iPopSize As Integer
Static iSetSize As Integer
Static SetMembers() As Integer
Static Used() As Integer
Dim i As Integer

If PopSize < 0 Then
iPopSize = PopSize
iSetSize = SetSize
ReDim SetMembers(1 To iSetSize) As Integer
ReDim Used(1 To iPopSize) As Integer
NextMember = 1
End If

For i = 1 To iPopSize
If Used(i) = 0 Then
SetMembers(NextMember) = i
If NextMember < iSetSize Then
Used(i) = True
AddPermutation , , NextMember + 1
Used(i) = False
Else
SavePermutation SetMembers()
End If
End If
Next i

If NextMember = 1 Then
SavePermutation SetMembers(), True
Erase SetMembers
Erase Used
End If

End Sub 'AddPermutation

Private Sub AddCombination(Optional PopSize As Integer = 0, _
Optional SetSize As Integer = 0, _
Optional NextMember As Integer = 0, _
Optional NextItem As Integer = 0)

Static iPopSize As Integer
Static iSetSize As Integer
Static SetMembers() As Integer
Dim i As Integer

If PopSize < 0 Then
iPopSize = PopSize
iSetSize = SetSize
ReDim SetMembers(1 To iSetSize) As Integer
NextMember = 1
NextItem = 1
End If

For i = NextItem To iPopSize
SetMembers(NextMember) = i
If NextMember < iSetSize Then
AddCombination , , NextMember + 1, i + 1
Else
SavePermutation SetMembers()
End If
Next i

If NextMember = 1 Then
SavePermutation SetMembers(), True
Erase SetMembers
End If

End Sub 'AddCombination

Private Sub SavePermutation(ItemsChosen() As Integer, _
Optional FlushBuffer As Boolean = False)

Dim i As Integer, sValue As String
Static RowNum As Long, ColNum As Long

If RowNum = 0 Then RowNum = 1
If ColNum = 0 Then ColNum = 1

If FlushBuffer = True Or BufferPtr = UBound(Buffer()) Then
If BufferPtr 0 Then
If (RowNum + BufferPtr - 1) Rows.Count Then
RowNum = 1
ColNum = ColNum + 1
If ColNum 256 Then Exit Sub
End If

Results.Cells(RowNum, ColNum).Resize(BufferPtr, 1).Value _
= Application.WorksheetFunction.Transpose(Buffer())
RowNum = RowNum + BufferPtr
End If

BufferPtr = 0
If FlushBuffer = True Then
Erase Buffer
RowNum = 0
ColNum = 0
Exit Sub
Else
ReDim Buffer(1 To UBound(Buffer))
End If

End If

'construct the next set
For i = 1 To UBound(ItemsChosen)
sValue = sValue & ", " & vAllItems(ItemsChosen(i), 1)
Next i

'and save it in the buffer
BufferPtr = BufferPtr + 1
Buffer(BufferPtr) = Mid$(sValue, 3)
End Sub 'SavePermutation


--
Regards,
Tom Ogilvy


"pav55" wrote in message
...
I have theses numbers:- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and I need to work out
all
the combinations these numbers have in sets of 4. By this I mean for
example, 1234, 1236 etc....using each number once in a set..(so there are
no
duplicates)
i.e. Not 1124. Is there any worksheet function/formula I could make in
excel to work out and hence display all the possible four set combinations
there are?
But not the total of combinations i.e. just one number..because I already
know how to calculate the number of combinations there can be.

Or is there any alternatives other than writing them all out by hand?!

Thanks.

Thanks for the responses.

Perhaps, I should have been a bit more clear. I'm a student and only
recently started to use Excel properly so know only basic ( i mean ReallY
basic functions and macros!) So the macros above, as amazing as they look..I
have no idea how to implement them. how do you implement them pls?

thanks.

"Tom Ogilvy" wrote:

I thought you said it pretty clearly you already knew about combin, permut,
and fact, but maybe not. Anyway, here is code written by Myrna Larson which
will do what you want: (hope you know how to use a macro)

Option Explicit

Dim vAllItems As Variant
Dim Buffer() As String
Dim BufferPtr As Long
Dim Results As Worksheet
'
' Posted by Myrna Larson
' July 25, 2000
' Microsoft.Public.Excel.Misc
' Subject: Combin
'
'
'Since you asked, here it is. It is generic, i.e. it isn't written
specifically
'for a given population and set size, as yours it. It will do permutations
or
'combinations. It uses a recursive routine to generate the subsets, one
routine
'for combinations, a different one for permutations.

'To use it, you put the letter C or P (for combinations or permutations) in
a
'cell. The cell below that contains the number of items in a subset. The
cells
'below are a list of the items that make up the population. They could be
'numbers, letters and symbols, or words, etc.

'You select the top cell, or the entire range and run the sub. The subsets
are
'written to a new sheet in the workbook.
'
'

Sub ListPermutations()
Dim Rng As Range
Dim PopSize As Integer
Dim SetSize As Integer
Dim Which As String
Dim N As Double
Const BufferSize As Long = 4096

Set Rng = Selection.Columns(1).Cells
If Rng.Cells.Count = 1 Then
Set Rng = Range(Rng, Rng.End(xlDown))
End If

PopSize = Rng.Cells.Count - 2
If PopSize < 2 Then GoTo DataError

SetSize = Rng.Cells(2).Value
If SetSize PopSize Then GoTo DataError

Which = UCase$(Rng.Cells(1).Value)
Select Case Which
Case "C"
N = Application.WorksheetFunction.Combin(PopSize, SetSize)
Case "P"
N = Application.WorksheetFunction.Permut(PopSize, SetSize)
Case Else
GoTo DataError
End Select
If N Cells.Count Then GoTo DataError

Application.ScreenUpdating = False

Set Results = Worksheets.Add

vAllItems = Rng.Offset(2, 0).Resize(PopSize).Value
ReDim Buffer(1 To BufferSize) As String
BufferPtr = 0

If Which = "C" Then
AddCombination PopSize, SetSize
Else
AddPermutation PopSize, SetSize
End If
vAllItems = 0

Application.ScreenUpdating = True
Exit Sub

DataError:
If N = 0 Then
Which = "Enter your data in a vertical range of at least 4 cells. " _
& String$(2, 10) _
& "Top cell must contain the letter C or P, 2nd cell is the number " _
& "of items in a subset, the cells below are the values from which " _
& "the subset is to be chosen."

Else
Which = "This requires " & Format$(N, "#,##0") & _
" cells, more than are available on the worksheet!"
End If
MsgBox Which, vbOKOnly, "DATA ERROR"
Exit Sub
End Sub

Private Sub AddPermutation(Optional PopSize As Integer = 0, _
Optional SetSize As Integer = 0, _
Optional NextMember As Integer = 0)

Static iPopSize As Integer
Static iSetSize As Integer
Static SetMembers() As Integer
Static Used() As Integer
Dim i As Integer

If PopSize < 0 Then
iPopSize = PopSize
iSetSize = SetSize
ReDim SetMembers(1 To iSetSize) As Integer
ReDim Used(1 To iPopSize) As Integer
NextMember = 1
End If

For i = 1 To iPopSize
If Used(i) = 0 Then
SetMembers(NextMember) = i
If NextMember < iSetSize Then
Used(i) = True
AddPermutation , , NextMember + 1
Used(i) = False
Else
SavePermutation SetMembers()
End If
End If
Next i

If NextMember = 1 Then
SavePermutation SetMembers(), True
Erase SetMembers
Erase Used
End If

End Sub 'AddPermutation

Private Sub AddCombination(Optional PopSize As Integer = 0, _
Optional SetSize As Integer = 0, _
Optional NextMember As Integer = 0, _
Optional NextItem As Integer = 0)

Static iPopSize As Integer
Static iSetSize As Integer
Static SetMembers() As Integer
Dim i As Integer

If PopSize < 0 Then
iPopSize = PopSize
iSetSize = SetSize
ReDim SetMembers(1 To iSetSize) As Integer
NextMember = 1
NextItem = 1
End If

For i = NextItem To iPopSize
SetMembers(NextMember) = i
If NextMember < iSetSize Then
AddCombination , , NextMember + 1, i + 1
Else
SavePermutation SetMembers()
End If
Next i

If NextMember = 1 Then
SavePermutation SetMembers(), True
Erase SetMembers
End If

End Sub 'AddCombination

Private Sub SavePermutation(ItemsChosen() As Integer, _
Optional FlushBuffer As Boolean = False)

Dim i As Integer, sValue As String
Static RowNum As Long, ColNum As Long

If RowNum = 0 Then RowNum = 1
If ColNum = 0 Then ColNum = 1

If FlushBuffer = True Or BufferPtr = UBound(Buffer()) Then
If BufferPtr 0 Then
If (RowNum + BufferPtr - 1) Rows.Count Then
RowNum = 1
ColNum = ColNum + 1
If ColNum 256 Then Exit Sub
End If

Results.Cells(RowNum, ColNum).Resize(BufferPtr, 1).Value _
= Application.WorksheetFunction.Transpose(Buffer())
RowNum = RowNum + BufferPtr
End If

BufferPtr = 0
If FlushBuffer = True Then
Erase Buffer
RowNum = 0
ColNum = 0
Exit Sub
Else
ReDim Buffer(1 To UBound(Buffer))
End If

End If

'construct the next set
For i = 1 To UBound(ItemsChosen)
sValue = sValue & ", " & vAllItems(ItemsChosen(i), 1)
Next i

'and save it in the buffer
BufferPtr = BufferPtr + 1
Buffer(BufferPtr) = Mid$(sValue, 3)
End Sub 'SavePermutation


--
Regards,
Tom Ogilvy


"pav55" wrote in message
...
I have theses numbers:- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and I need to work out
all
the combinations these numbers have in sets of 4. By this I mean for
example, 1234, 1236 etc....using each number once in a set..(so there are
no
duplicates)
i.e. Not 1124. Is there any worksheet function/formula I could make in
excel to work out and hence display all the possible four set combinations
there are?
But not the total of combinations i.e. just one number..because I already
know how to calculate the number of combinations there can be.

Or is there any alternatives other than writing them all out by hand?!

Thanks.