PERMUTATIONS AND COMBINATIONS 4.56 How many ways can three letters be selected from the English alphabet if: (a) The order of selection of the three letters is considered important, i.e., abc is different from cha, for example. (b) The order of selection of the three letters is not important? 4.57 The following teams comprise the Atlantic division of the Eastern conference of the National Hockey League: Florida, Philadelphia, N. Y. Rangers, New Jersey, Washington, Tampa Bay, and N. Y. Islanders. (a) Assuming no teams are tied at the end of the season, how many different final standings are possible for the seven teams? (b) Assuming no ties, how many different first-, second-, and third-place finishers are possible