+238
+33661 There is a function called the Gamma function, defined as follows:
$$\Gamma (t)=\int_{0}^{\infty}x^{t-1}e^{-x}dx$$
When t is a positive integer this is equal to (n - 1)! but the Gamma function is defined for all values of t, so it is sometimes thought of as the extended factorial function.
So 5.6! would be calculated from Γ(6.6) (≈ 344.702...) (5! = 120, 6! = 720)
.
+23252 I see two parts to you question:
1) If you want 2 men and 5 women, you wouldn't use 5C2; 5C2 represents the number of ways that you can choose a set of 2 out of a set of 5; this does not represent choosing 2 men and 5 women.
2) Your formula:
nCr = n! / [ r! · (n-r)! ]
The (n-r)! in the denominator cancels all the factors in the numerator starting with (n-r) down through 1; leaving only n · (n-1) · (n-2) · ... · (n-r+2) · (n-r+1).
There is still a factor of r! in the denominator.
I agree with your process EXCEPT I feel that you need one fewer term in the numerator, because the (n-r) factor gets cancelled also; in the numerator, stop with factor (n-r+1).
+238 okay the original question is In a trilsupose a lawyerwants 2 men and 5 womento make up a special panel.if the 7 panel menbers are selected at random fro a pool of 12 peoples,which istheprobality that the lawyer will not get the desired panel?(sorry for i didnt write the question completelyand i got the anwser）
ok i got it know.Thank you for your help.
why 0!=1? can n be a negative or fraction in n! ?why or why not?
+118677 Hi Quinn,
I have heard of an extended definition of factorial that does allow this but I have never used it.
From my knowledge base factorials belong to whole positive integers and 0 only.
5! means 1*2*3*4*5
What would 5.6! mean? It means nothing to me. 
+33661 There is a function called the Gamma function, defined as follows:
$$\Gamma (t)=\int_{0}^{\infty}x^{t-1}e^{-x}dx$$
When t is a positive integer this is equal to (n - 1)! but the Gamma function is defined for all values of t, so it is sometimes thought of as the extended factorial function.
So 5.6! would be calculated from Γ(6.6) (≈ 344.702...) (5! = 120, 6! = 720)
.
