Agree on 60 , 6C3 * 3C2
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Out of 6 gaurds we have to select 3 -> selection means we use C -> so 6C3

Out of 3 forwards we have to select 2 -> selection means we use C -> so 3C2

Total ways = 6C3 x 3C2 = 60

Hope this helps!
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9 basketball players are trying out to be on a newly formed basketball team. Of these players, 5 will be chosen for the team. If 6 of the players are guards and 3 of the players are forwards, how many different teams of 3 guards and 2 forwards can be chosen?
a) 23
b) 30
c) 42
d) 60
e) 126

Sol:
3 guards of 6 guards AND 2 forwards of 3 forwards

\(C^6_3*C^3_2\)
\(\frac{6!}{3!3!}*\frac{3!}{2!1!}\)
\(\frac{6*5*4}{3*2}*\frac{3*2}{2}=60\)

Ans: "d"
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You have to proceed with 2 separate combinations:

6C3, which is the number of ways in which you can select 3 guards out of 6. This yields 20
3C2, which is the number of ways in which you can pick 2 forwards out of 3. This yields 3.

Multiply both and you get 60. Answer: D

Hi All,

This question does NOT ask us to put players "in order", it asks us for groups of players. That clue points to using the Combination Formula. This question has 2 types of players though (guards and forwards), so we have to use the Combination Formula twice (once for each type of player), then multiply the results.

Guards:
There are 6 guards and we're asked for sets of 3.

6c3 = 6!/(3!3!) = 6(5)(4)(3)(2)(1)/3(2)(1)(3)(2)(1) = 20 different sets of 3 guards

Forwards:
There are 3 forwards and we're asked for groups of 2.

3c2 = 3!/(2!1!) = 3(2)(1)/(2)(1)(1) = 3 different groups of 2 forwards

(20)(3) = 60 possible teams

Final Answer:

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Take the task of creating a team and break it into stages.

Stage 1: Select 3 guards from the 6 eligible guards
Since the order in which we select the guards does not matter, we can use combinations.
We can select 3 guards from the 6 eligible guards in 6C3 ways (= 20 ways)
So, we can complete stage 1 in 20 ways

ASIDE: We have a video on calculating combinations (like 6C3) in your head (see below)

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

By the Fundamental Counting Principle (FCP), we can complete the two stages (and thus create a basketball team) in (20)(3) ways (= 60 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.

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