/sci/ - Science & Math

When Tony Stark's AI announced "congratulations, you've just made a new element" me and the 4 friends I watched it with (all science majors) started laughing in unison.

Sup /sci/, I just watched Ironman 2 and from a realistic, modern day physics standpoint, it was a bit rage inducing.

Tony needs to find a substitute for the Palladium in his chest because it was causing problems to his blood. In seeking a solution he claims "I tried every combination and every permutation of every element..."

First, there are 118 known elements as of 2010.

If you try every combination of something, you have tried every permutation (I am pretty sure this is correct because in combos, order matters, meaning it would cover every permutation - where order does not matter).

Anyways I was wondering how I would go about calculating just HOW many different experiments Tony would have tried.

My first guess would be C(118, 118!). But I am not totally sure. Any input? Thanks /sci/