GCSE Mathematics (9-1)

2.4 The product rule for counting — Practise

Work independently, then use the checked solutions to review your method.

  1. H A cafe offers 5 hot drinks and 4 cakes. How many hot-drink-and-cake choices are there?
  2. H How many three-letter codes can be made from A, B, C and D if letters may repeat?
  3. H How many three-letter codes can be made from A, B, C and D if letters cannot repeat?
  4. H There are 3 tops, 2 trousers and 2 pairs of shoes. How many outfits use one of each?
  5. H How many even three-digit numbers can be made from 1,2,3,41,2,3,4 without repeating digits?
  6. H A trip uses one of 4 trains, one of 3 buses and one of 2 walking routes. How many routes are possible?
  7. H A meal has a choice of 4 mains and 3 drinks. One drink is unavailable with one particular main. How many combinations remain?
  8. H How many two-digit numbers greater than 30 can be made from digits 1,2,3,4,51,2,3,4,5 without repetition?
  9. H A password has one capital letter from A to C followed by two digits from 0 to 9. Digits may repeat. How many passwords are possible?
Answers and concise solutions

1. Cafe choices

Answer: 5times4=205\\times4=20 choices.

2. Codes with repetition

Answer: 4times4times4=644\\times4\\times4=64 codes.

3. Codes without repetition

Answer: 4times3times2=244\\times3\\times2=24 codes.

4. Outfits

Answer: 3times2times2=123\\times2\\times2=12 outfits.

5. Even numbers without repetition

Answer: The units digit has 2 choices (2 or 4), then the hundreds digit has 3 choices and the tens digit has 2. Thus 2times3times2=122\\times3\\times2=12.

6. Trip routes

Answer: 4times3times2=244\\times3\\times2=24 routes.

7. Restricted combinations

Answer: There are 4times3=124\\times3=12 unrestricted pairs. Remove the one forbidden pair: 11 combinations.

8. Two-digit numbers over 30

Answer: The tens digit can be 3, 4 or 5, giving 3 choices. Then 4 digits remain: 3times4=123\\times4=12.

9. Passwords

Answer: 3times10times10=3003\\times10\\times10=300 passwords.

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