A certain restaurant offers 8 different curry, 5 different main courses, 6 different ice creams. If customers choose one salad, one main course and two different ice creams for their meal, how many different meals are possible? Pick:  A) 120  B) 240  C) 480  D) 500  E) 600
MAGOOSHOFFICIAL SOLUTION:   To count the number of curry, we have to count the possibilities for the three components, and then, according to the Fundamental Counting Principle, we multiply. For more on the FCP, see this blog.   For salads, there are 8 possibilities. Done.   For main courses, there are 5 different possibilities. Done.   For ice creams, there are 6 choices, but we pick two different choices. This would be 6C2. To calculate this, we can use the shortcut, nC2 = (n*(n-1))/2.   6C2 = (6*5)/2= 
<gadget id="calculator">(6*5)/2</gadget>
<output>15</output>
15   So, there are 15 combinations of two different desserts.   For the number of meals, we multiply 8*5= 
<gadget id="calculator">8*5</gadget>
<output>40</output>
40. Then, we need 40*15. Well, 4*15= 60, so 40*15 must be 600.   Answer = (600)
<result>E</result>
A certain restaurant offers 8 different curry, 5 different main courses, 6 different ice creams. If customers choose one salad, one main course and two different ice creams for their meal, how many different meals are possible?