rearrangement

Everyday

1. Changing the order, position or plan of things: «a rearrangement of the furniture». tree →
2. A changed plan, time or date: «a rearrangement of the match». tree →
3. (music) A new version of a piece of music for different instruments or voices. tree →
4. (maths, science) Putting the parts of a number, formula or molecule in a different order; in maths, a different order of the same items. tree →

In the lessons

In maths lessons rearrangement means changing a formula (rearrange a = b + c into b = a − c) or counting different orders of items. In everyday life it means moving furniture or changing a timetable. Phrases: «a rearrangement of», «furniture rearrangement», «date rearrangement».

Examples

• The classroom rearrangement gave us more space for reading. tree →
• After the rearrangement, the match is on Tuesday. tree →
• The band played a rock rearrangement of an old carol. tree →
• «Listen» and «silent» are rearrangements of the same letters. tree →
• Rearrangement of the formula helps us find the missing value. tree →
• There are six rearrangements of the letters A, B and C. tree →

Note

Countable or uncountable. Verb: rearrange. Maths: n different items have n! (n factorial) orders: 3 items → 3 × 2 × 1 = 6; letters that rearrange into a new word make an anagram. Spelling: re-arrange-ment (double r).