# Arrangement of any number of objects from $n$ objects

Prove that the total number of arrangements of objects by taking any number of objects from $n$ different objects is $\lfloor e \times n! - 1 \rfloor$, where $e$ is the natural base.

I tried it by making cases that either we choose $1$ object in $\dbinom {n}{1}$ way and arrange it in $1$ way or two objects and so on, obtaining $$\sum_{r=0}^n \dbinom {n}{r} \times r!$$

However, the quantity that we have to prove it equal to is entirely different.

Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks.

• You should perhaps include the term where $r=0$. – hardmath Jul 4 '15 at 15:31

Hint: write the terms in your sum as $n!$ times something. Note that the sum of the somethings is close to the power series for $e$
• The sum can be written as $n! \times \displaystyle \sum_{r=0}^n \dfrac {1}{(n-r)!}$ But how is this equal to $\lfloor e \times n! -1 \rfloor$ ? – Henry Jul 4 '15 at 17:16
• $\sum_{r = 0}^n \frac{1}{(n-r)!} = \sum_{k = 0}^n \frac{1}{k!}$, which is surprisingly close to $\sum_{k = 0}^\infty \frac{1}{k!}$ – Austin Mohr Jul 4 '15 at 17:33
• @AustinMohr Yes, I do realize that it is the Mc' Laurin series for $e$, but why is it exactly equal to $\lfloor e \ n! - 1 \rfloor$ and not some other quantity like $\lfloor e \ n! - 2 \rfloor$ Where did that $-1$ come from ? – Henry Jul 4 '15 at 17:49
• The -1 comes from the fact that your original sum started at $r=1$. I believe that was the correct reading of the problem. You do not count the empty set as a subset for this purpose. If you do count it, the $-1$ goes away. – Ross Millikan Jul 4 '15 at 23:09