# Combination of n sets of m elements

I have n sets and I want calculate all the combination such that there is just an element of every set in each combination.

How can I express this in a combination forumula?

Thanks.

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1

What exactly is meant by a “combination”? Secondly: are the nn sets disjoint?
– drhab
2 days ago

Disjoint sets with different cardinality
– NxA
2 days ago

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1

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∙\bullet For sets of the same cardinality:

Let m1,m2,…,mn{m_1, m_2, …, m_n} be your nn sets of mm elements each.

We want to pick one of mm elements, for every set mim_i, where 1≤i≤n 1 \le i \le n. Then there are mm possibilities for the first set, m possibilities for the second set, and so on. We can express this as
m×m×m×⋯×m⏟n times\underbrace{ m \times m \times m \times \cdots \times m}_{\text{n times}}
or
mn m^n

Hence, there are mnm^n possible combinations satisfying the given condition.

∙\bullet For sets of different cardinality:

The approach is similar, just as stated by @drhab:

If set ii has cardinality mim_i then there are m1m_1 possibilities for the first set, m2m_2 for the second, et cetera. That results in
m1×m2×⋯×mnm_1 \times m_2 \times \cdots \times m_n possibilities.

Sorry, I commited a mistake. The sets can have different cardinality. How can I consider this?
– NxA
2 days ago

@NxA In the line of this answer: if set ii has cardinality mim_i then there are m1m_1 possibilities for the first set, m2m_2 for the second, et cetera. That results in m1×m2×⋯×mnm_1\times m_2\times\cdots\times m_n possibilities.
– drhab
2 days ago