3 shirts and 4 pants, how many outfits

Step by step

The question

Question: There are 3 shirts and 4 pants.

How many outfits can be made with one of each?

1 Count the choices

2 Multiply

Each of the 3 shirts goes with 4 pants.

So we multiply: 3 × 4.

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

3 groups of 4: that is 3 times 4.

Careful!

We do not add the choices.

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

3 times 4 is 12.

So there are 12 outfits.

3 Check

Let's check: 12 divided by 3 is 4.

That gives back the 4 choices.

So the answer is right!

Let's look back.

First: count the choices.

Then: multiply.

Last: check.