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

[Gmat_mission]

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

Answer: D

Source: Magoosh

[Brent@GMATPrepNow]

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

Answer: 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)

Answer: D

Note: the FCP can be used to solve the MAJORITY of counting questions on the GMAT. So, be sure to learn it.

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