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fundamental counting principle

mike mcgarry
lesson by mike mcgarry
magoosh expert
quiz
counting
summary
the fundamental counting principle is a cornerstone concept in combinatorics, essential for solving various types of counting problems encountered in the gmat exam.
  • the principle posits that if a task can be divided into stages, with each stage having a distinct number of ways it can be completed, the total number of ways to complete the entire task is the product of the number of ways to complete each stage.
  • examples provided include calculating the number of possible meals from a set menu, the number of ways to arrange books on a shelf, and the number of possible steering committees from a group of employees.
  • the principle is foundational for understanding more complex combinatorial concepts, such as permutations and factorials, which will be discussed in subsequent lessons.
  • real-world applications of the principle demonstrate its utility in solving practical problems, highlighting the vast numbers that can arise from combinatorial calculations.
  • the importance of recognizing when order matters in counting problems is emphasized, as it significantly affects the calculation of possible outcomes.
chapters
00:00
introduction to the fundamental counting principle
01:06
applying the principle to real-world problems
02:15
expanding the principle to arrangement problems
04:57
understanding the importance of order in counting
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