Dénombrement

Dénombrement is a French term that translates to "counting" or "enumeration" in English. In mathematics, it refers to the process of determining the number of elements in a set. This can range from simply counting discrete objects to more complex combinatorial problems involving arrangements and selections.

The fundamental principle of counting, also known as the multiplication principle, is a cornerstone of dénombrement. It states that if there are n ways to do one thing and m ways to do another, then there are n * m ways to do both. Permutations and combinations are specific techniques within dénombrement used to count arrangements of objects where order may or may not matter.

Dénombrement is a crucial concept in probability theory, as it provides the foundation for calculating the likelihood of events. It is also applied in computer science for algorithm analysis, in statistics for data analysis, and in various fields of applied mathematics. The process of dénombrement helps to quantify and understand the size and structure of collections of objects or possibilities.