Lexicographic Order

If all permutations of the word " F A T I M A H FATIMAH " are written in lexicographic order. What would be the 1444th word you write?

F A T I M A H FATIMAH I A A F M T H IAAFMTH I A A T F H M IAATFHM I A A F T H M IAAFTHM

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1 solution

Hua Zhi Vee
Sep 14, 2018

Firstly arrange them in alphabetic order: { A , F , H , I , M , T } \{A,F,H,I,M,T\}

Now all the permutations when the first letter is A = 6 ! = 720 = 6! = 720

All the permutations when the first letter is F = 6 ! 2 ! = 360 = \dfrac{6!}{2!} = 360 (since A is repeated twice)

All the permutations when the first letter is H = 6 ! 2 ! = 360 = \dfrac{6!}{2!} = 360 (since A is repeated twice)

All the permutations when the first letter is I = 6 ! 2 ! = 360 = \dfrac{6!}{2!} = 360 (since A is repeated twice)

All the permutations when the first letter is M = 6 ! 2 ! = 360 = \dfrac{6!}{2!} = 360 (since A is repeated twice)

All the permutations when the first letter is T = 6 ! 2 ! = 360 = \dfrac{6!}{2!} = 360 (since A is repeated twice)

Total words up to H = 1440 = 1440

1441 1441 st word = IAAFHMT

We know that the 1443rd word will be (obviously) I A A IAA**** . Now we can label F = 1 , H = 2 , M = 3 , T = 4 F=1, H=2, M=3, T=4

And now the question simplifies into arranging 4-digit numbers made by 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 1,2,3,4 in ascending order and taking the 4th one.

1: 1234 1234

2: 1243 1243

3: 1324 1324

4: 1342 1342

Now we can change the numbers back to the corresponding letters, and we will get I A A F M T H IAAFMTH . \ _\square


Credit to puffles for the first half of the solution.

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