Question

a restaurant offers the following limited lunch menu. main courses: ham, chicken, fish. vegetables: corn, green beans. beverages: coffee, tea, milk. desserts: sundaes, mousse, pie, brownies. if one item is selected from each of the four groups, in how many ways can a meal be ordered?

Explanation:

Step1: Count number of options in each group

Main Courses: 3 options (Ham, Chicken, Fish). Vegetables: 2 options (Corn, Green Beans). Beverages: 3 options (Coffee, Tea, Milk). Desserts: 4 options (Sundaes, Mousse, Pie, Brownies).

Step2: Apply multiplication principle

The total number of ways to order a meal is the product of the number of options in each group. So we calculate \(3\times2\times3\times4\).

Step3: Perform the calculation

\(3\times2\times3\times4=(3\times2)\times3\times4 = 6\times3\times4=18\times4 = 72\).

Answer:

72