The word "permute" is spelled pərˈmjuːt. The letter "e" serves to separate the "r" and "m" consonant sounds, making it easier to pronounce. The "u" after "m" represents the "oo" sound, while the "e" at the end remains silent. Pronounced as "per-mewt," "permute" is a mathematical term that means to rearrange the order of a set of elements. In computer programming, the term is commonly used to represent an algorithm that generates all possible combinations of a set of elements.
To "permute" means to alter or arrange the order or position of elements within a set or a sequence. It refers to the act of rearranging the items in order to generate a new arrangement or combination. This process involves changing the order of elements without repetition or omission.
In mathematics and computer science, permutation is a fundamental concept, where "permute" is used as a verb. It signifies the action of changing the arrangement of a set of objects, usually discrete values, in a specified order. The process of permuting can be represented in various ways, such as rotating, shuffling, reordering, or interchanging the elements.
In permutations, every element has an equal opportunity to occupy each position. For instance, if there are n objects, there are n! (n factorial) potential permutations. The factorial of a number represents the product of all positive integers up to that number. Permutations often find applications in combinatorial mathematics, cryptography, string manipulation algorithms, and more.
The term "permute" is not limited to mathematics alone. It can also be used in general contexts, like rearranging or reordering things to achieve a different order or pattern. It implies modifying the sequence or structure in such a way that the original elements appear in a new configuration.
To change the order or arrangement of, as letters or things.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "permute" has its origins in the Latin word "permūtāre". The verb "permūtāre" is derived from the prefix "per-" meaning "completely" or "thoroughly", and the word "mutāre" which means "to change" or "to exchange". Thus, "permute" can be understood as a combination of these elements to mean "to completely change or exchange".