Mathematics ACT Aspire Test 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

A permutation is specifically defined as an arrangement of items where the order of those items matters. This means that changing the order of the items results in a different permutation. The focus on the significance of order is a key characteristic that differentiates permutations from other types of arrangements, such as combinations, where the order is not important.

In the context of the other options, a random selection of items would refer more to combinations or selections where order does not affect the outcome. A list of outcomes regardless of order would also imply combinations rather than permutations. Lastly, a collection of equivalent items suggests redundancies in arrangement, which does not align with the concept of a permutation where unique arrangements are crucial. Therefore, the correctness of identifying permutations as arrangements where order is important is well established in the study of mathematics.