Counting Methods: "Alex can walk, take a bus or drive to the train station...."

[VCEYear11]

Counting Methods: "Alex can walk, take a bus or drive to the train station...."

Hello there!
I'm currently revising for a SAC (School Assessed Coursework (or test that affects your total grade)), and i'm already struggling on the first question (teacher gave us booklet and answers):

Alex can walk, take a bus or drive to the train station. From the station he has a choice of three different trains to the city. When he arrives in the city he can either take the tram to work, or he can walk, How many different choices does he have for traveling to work?

There are 5 choices
A) 8
B) 18
C) 11
D) 9
E) 24

The answer sheet says it is B) 18, but i've only managed to get the answers A)8 and C)11.

My working out:
The way i interpreted the question was using my teacher's advice which was "if you see and, it's * and if you see or, it's +"
Getting 8 as the answer: Walk(1) + Bus(1) + Drive(1) + Train 1(1) + Train 2(1) + Train3(1) + Tram(1) + Walk(1) = 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 8
Getting 11 as the answer: Walk(1) + Bus(1) + Drive(1) + Train 1,2,3(3*2*1) + Tram(1) + Walk(1) = 3+ 6 + 2 = 11

EDIT: Ok, so i figured out that it's ( 1 + 1 + 1) * 3 * ( 1 + 1), which is 3 * 3 * 2 equaling 18, but how do you interpret it like this?

Any help would be very much appreciated!
Thanks!!

 

[pka]

alex can walk, take a bus or drive to the train station. From the station he has a choice of three different trains to the city. When he arrives in the city he can either take the tram to work, or he can walk, how many different choices does he have for traveling to work?
There are 5 choices
a) 8 b) 18 c) 11 d) 9 e) 24
the answer sheet says it is b) 18, but i've only managed to get the answers a)8 and c)11.

multiply \(\displaystyle (3)(3)(2)=18\)

 

[Ishuda]

Hello there!
I'm currently revising for a SAC (School Assessed Coursework (or test that affects your total grade)), and i'm already struggling on the first question (teacher gave us booklet and answers):

Alex can walk, take a bus or drive to the train station. From the station he has a choice of three different trains to the city. When he arrives in the city he can either take the tram to work, or he can walk, How many different choices does he have for traveling to work?

There are 5 choices
A) 8
B) 18
C) 11
D) 9
E) 24

The answer sheet says it is B) 18, but i've only managed to get the answers A)8 and C)11.

My working out:
The way i interpreted the question was using my teacher's advice which was "if you see and, it's * and if you see or, it's +"
Getting 8 as the answer: Walk(1) + Bus(1) + Drive(1) + Train 1(1) + Train 2(1) + Train3(1) + Tram(1) + Walk(1) = 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 8
Getting 11 as the answer: Walk(1) + Bus(1) + Drive(1) + Train 1,2,3(3*2*1) + Tram(1) + Walk(1) = 3+ 6 + 2 = 11

EDIT: Ok, so i figured out that it's ( 1 + 1 + 1) * 3 * ( 1 + 1), which is 3 * 3 * 2 equaling 18, but how do you interpret it like this?

Any help would be very much appreciated!
Thanks!!

Your teachers advice is correct but sometimes the words are only implied and you have to watch your grouping:
[Walk(1) or Bus(1) or Drive(1)] and [Train 1(1) or Train 2(1) or Train3(1)] and [Tram(1) or Walk(1)]
= [3]*[3]*[2]