Answer:
It's a combination, BUT...
Step-by-step explanation:
Definition: A combination is a grouping of outcomes in which the order does not matter. That's the difference between combination and permutation.
Combination Formula: nCr = (n!)/[r!(n-r)!)] where n stands for number of things and r the pair chosen
Applied to this case: We have n=5 (12345) and r=5 for the 5-digit lock combination.
5C5 = (5!)/[5!(5-5)] = 1
But!! As you can see, we cannot have 1 possible combinations so.. We have to assume that this is a permutation!!! Conceptually, this looks pretty much like a combination, but being the same range as number of items, we conclude that it's a permutation.
Permutation Formula: nPr = (n!)/(n-r)!
nPr = (5!)/(5-5)! = 120
Well, this looks way more accurate now, right?
Final Answer: The scenario involves a permutation, and there's 120 possible combinations of those 5 numbers in a 5-digit lock.
