# How many of these four digit numbers are odd/even?

For the following question:

How many four-digit numbers can you form with the digits $1,2,3,4,5,6$ and $7$ if no digit is repeated?

So, I did $P(7,4) = 840$ which is correct but then the question asks, how many of those numbers are odd and how many of them are even. The answer for odd is $480$ and even is $360$ but I have no clue as to how they arrived to that answer. Can someone please explain the process?

Thanks!

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Hint: your number is odd or even is determined by its last digit. –  Secret Math Jun 15 '13 at 20:12
I will make a comment that may not be understood. It is not a really good idea to think of the total number as $P(7,4)$. It is better, I think, to say to yourself the first digit can be chosen in $7$ ways, and for each such choice the second can be chosen in $6$ ways and $\dots$, so the number is $(7)(6)(5)(4)$. This will keep you closer to the ground, and help with the next problem. The last digit can be chosen in $3$ ways. For each such choice $\dots$. –  André Nicolas Jun 15 '13 at 20:19

We first count the number of ways to produce an even number. The last digit can be any of $2$, $4$, or $6$. So the last digit can be chosen in $3$ ways.

For each such choice, the first digit can be chosen in $6$ ways. So there are $(3)(6)$ ways to choose the last digit, and then the first.

For each of these $(3)(6)$ ways, there are $5$ ways to choose the second digit. So there are $(3)(6)(5)$ ways to choose the last, then the first, then the second.

Finally, for each of these $(3)(6)(5)$ ways, there are $4$ ways to choose the third digit, for a total of $(3)(6)(5)(4)$.

Similar reasoning shows that there are $(4)(6)(5)(4)$ odd numbers. Or else we can subtract the number of evens from $840$ to get the number of odds.

Another way: (that I like less). There are $3$ ways to choose the last digit. Once we have chosen this, there are $6$ digits left. We must choose a $3$-digit number, with all digits distinct and chosen from these $6$, to put in front of the chosen last digit. This can be done in $P(6,3)$ ways, for a total of $(3)P(6,3)$.

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Why can we only pick $6$ digits and not $7$? –  Jeel Shah Jun 15 '13 at 20:36
Because we have already used one up when we chose the last digit. –  André Nicolas Jun 15 '13 at 20:36
I'm sorry, I still don't understand. Combinatronics just doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Can you show some graphic or add some more detail to your answer please? –  Jeel Shah Jun 15 '13 at 20:40
For a graphic, you will have to draw it. Let's count the evens. Draw a tree. We first choose the last digit. We can choose $2$, $4$, or $6$. Now let's trace what can happen if we choose $2$ as the last digit. The first can be any of $1,3,4,5,6,7$, a total of $6$ choices, so $6$ branches coming out of "last digit $2$. Continue. –  André Nicolas Jun 15 '13 at 20:45
Probably. It is a lot easier (at least for me) to make a programming error than a thinking error. –  André Nicolas Jun 15 '13 at 20:56

Multiply the answer by $\frac{4}{7}$ since there are 4 odd numbers and $\frac{3}{7}$.

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Only the last digit has to be even digit for the number to be even. As there are $3$ even numbers in the list so the last digit can be chosen in $3$ ways. The remaining digits has to be chosen from the remaining $6$ numbers(as one (even) number has already been chosen) in ${6 \choose 3}$ ways and can be permuted among them in $3!$ ways. So the total no. of even numbers equal $3{6 \choose 3}3!$

And the no. of odd numbers =$840-3{6 \choose 3}3!$

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