If you’ve read my recent post on Listing and Counting and you’re looking for some more practice on this type of SAT Math problem, here are a few more examples you can try. The answers appear at the bottom of this post.
1) Six points are drawn on a circle. How many triangles can be drawn by connecting any three of these points?
(A) 12
(B) 20
(C) 30
(D) 60
(E) 120
Continue reading SAT Math: More Listing and Counting Problems
Problems that ask you to determine in how many ways something can happen are generally called permutation and combination problems. They are not as common on the SAT as, say, function problems, but if you are looking to maximize your math score, it would be helpful to master these types of problems. You are likely to run into one or two of them, and when you do they are usually near the end of a section among the harder problems.
Permutations are problems in which order matters. For instance, if you are asked to determine in how many ways a group of students can line up, that is a permutation problem. If order does not matter, then using combinations is appropriate. You might recall the formulas from your math class: