## A certain restaurant offers 8 different salads, 5 different main courses, 6 different desserts. If customers choose one

##### This topic has expert replies
Moderator
Posts: 5999
Joined: 07 Sep 2017
Followed by:20 members

### A certain restaurant offers 8 different salads, 5 different main courses, 6 different desserts. If customers choose one

by BTGmoderatorDC » Fri Sep 03, 2021 6:47 pm

00:00

A

B

C

D

E

## Global Stats

A certain restaurant offers 8 different salads, 5 different main courses, 6 different desserts. If customers choose one salad, one main course and two different desserts for their meal, how many different meals are possible?

A. 120
B. 240
C. 480
D. 600
E. 1200

OA D

Source: Magoosh

### GMAT/MBA Expert

GMAT Instructor
Posts: 15789
Joined: 08 Dec 2008
Location: Vancouver, BC
Thanked: 5254 times
Followed by:1267 members
GMAT Score:770

### Re: A certain restaurant offers 8 different salads, 5 different main courses, 6 different desserts. If customers choose

by [email protected] » Sat Sep 04, 2021 6:22 am
BTGmoderatorDC wrote:
Fri Sep 03, 2021 6:47 pm
A certain restaurant offers 8 different salads, 5 different main courses, 6 different desserts. If customers choose one salad, one main course and two different desserts for their meal, how many different meals are possible?

A. 120
B. 240
C. 480
D. 600
E. 1200

OA D

Source: Magoosh
Take the task of creating a meal and break it into stages.

Stage 1: Select 1 salad
There are 8 different salads from which to choose, so we can complete stage 1 in 8 ways

Stage 2: Select 1 main course
There are 5 different main courses from which to choose, so we can complete stage 2 in 5 ways

Stage 3: Select 2 different desserts
Since the order in which we select the desserts does not matter, we can use combinations.
We can select 2 desserts from 6 desserts in 6C2 ways (15 ways)
So, we can complete stage 3 in 15 ways

By the Fundamental Counting Principle (FCP), we can complete all 3 stages (and thus create a meal) in (8)(5)(15) ways (= 600 ways)

Note: the FCP can be used to solve the MAJORITY of counting questions on the GMAT. For more information about the FCP, watch this video: https://www.gmatprepnow.com/module/gmat- ... /video/775

You can also watch a demonstration of the FCP in action: https://www.gmatprepnow.com/module/gmat ... /video/776

Then you can try solving the following questions:

EASY
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/what-should- ... 67256.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/counting-pro ... 44302.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/picking-a-5- ... 73110.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/permutation- ... 57412.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/simple-one-t270061.html

MEDIUM
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/combinatoric ... 73194.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/arabian-hors ... 50703.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/sub-sets-pro ... 73337.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/combinatoric ... 73180.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/digits-numbers-t270127.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/doubt-on-sep ... 71047.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/combinatoric ... 67079.html

DIFFICULT
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/wonderful-p- ... 71001.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/permutation- ... 73915.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/permutation-t122873.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/no-two-ladie ... 75661.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/combinations-t123249.html

Cheers,
Brent
Brent Hanneson - Creator of GMATPrepNow.com

Legendary Member
Posts: 2035
Joined: 29 Oct 2017
Followed by:6 members

### Re: A certain restaurant offers 8 different salads, 5 different main courses, 6 different desserts. If customers choose

by swerve » Tue Sep 07, 2021 3:23 am
BTGmoderatorDC wrote:
Fri Sep 03, 2021 6:47 pm
A certain restaurant offers 8 different salads, 5 different main courses, 6 different desserts. If customers choose one salad, one main course and two different desserts for their meal, how many different meals are possible?

A. 120
B. 240
C. 480
D. 600
E. 1200

OA D

Source: Magoosh
Let's see,

Salad can be chosen in 8C1 ways
Main Course can be chosen in 5C1 ways
Desserts can be chosen in 6C2 ways

Therefore, answer will be product which is as follows

$$8C1\ast 5C1 \ast 6C2 = 8 \ast 5 \ast 15 = 600$$

Hence, D

• Page 1 of 1