ALTERNATION

ALTERNATION, a Term sometimes used for the divers Changes, or Alterations of Order, in any Number of Things proposed. See CHANCE. This is also called Permutation, etc., and is easily found, by a continual Multiplication of all the Numbers, beginning at Unity: See PERMUTATION. Thus, if it be required to know how many Changes or Alternations can be rung on six Bells; multiply the Numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, continually one into another; and the last Product gives the Number of Changes. See COMBINATION.