3 shirts and 2 pants, how many outfits

Step by step

The question

Question: There are 3 shirts and 2 pants.

How many outfits can be made with one of each?

1 Count the choices

2 Draw a tree

3 Multiply

Each of the 3 shirts goes with 2 pants.

So we multiply: 3 × 2.

This is the counting principle: multiply the number of choices.

3 groups of 2: that is 3 times 2.

Careful!

We do not add the choices.

Every choice goes with every other one, so we multiply.

3 times 2 is 6.

So there are 6 outfits.

4 Check

Let's check: we count the ends of the tree.

There are 6 ends, one for each.

So the answer is right!

Let's look back.

First: count the choices.

Then: draw a tree.

Then: multiply.

Last: check.