Solve the problem.
-A signal is made by placing 3 flags, one above the other, on a flag pole. If there are 8 different flags available, how many possible signals can be flown?
A)512
B)56
C)336
D)24

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Since there are 8 different flags available and 3 positions to fill, the number of possible signals is calculated by permutation because the order in which the flags are placed matters. The formula for permutations of n items taken r at a time is nPr = n! / (n-r)!. For this problem, it's 8P3 = 8! / (8-3)! = 8! / 5! = (8×7×6×5!) / 5! = 8×7×6 = 336.

Solve the Problem. -A Signal Is Made by Placing 3 Flags, One Above