Systematic listing and the product rule for counting worksheet — GCSE Higher

1.A driving instructor is working out how many current-style UK number plates are possible. The format is 2 letters, then 2 digits, then a space, then 3 letters (for example AB12 CDE). The letters I, O and Q are never used in any letter position, leaving 23 allowed letters, but every letter and every digit may repeat anywhere on the plate. Work out how many different number plates are possible, giving your answer in standard form to 2 significant figures.

2.A three-digit code is made using the digits 1, 2 and 3, and each digit may be used more than once. Work out how many different three-digit codes can be made.

3.Two-digit numbers are made using the digits 1, 2, 3 and 4, and no digit may be used twice in the same number. Work out how many different two-digit numbers can be made.

4.A board game has 5 different character pieces and 4 different colour tokens. The dragon piece can only be used with the gold token. Work out how many different combinations of one character piece and one colour token are possible.

5.Two fair six-sided dice are rolled together. One die is red and the other is blue. Work out how many different outcomes are possible.

6.Two-digit numbers are formed using the digits 2, 5, 7 and 8, and each digit may be used only once in a number. Work out how many of these two-digit numbers are even.

7.By listing systematically, work out how many two-digit multiples of 5 can be made using the digits 0, 3 and 5, if each digit can be used at most once and the number cannot start with 0.

8.A café sells ice cream in three flavours: vanilla, mango and pistachio. Isla buys a cone with two scoops, using two different flavours, one for the bottom scoop and one for the top scoop. Work out how many different cones she could buy.

9.A school council must choose a committee of 3 pupils from 8 volunteers. The three places on the committee are all the same, so only which pupils are chosen matters. Work out how many different committees could be formed.

10.A netball team has 8 players. Two of them are chosen to be captains, and the two captains have equal standing. Work out how many different pairs of captains could be chosen.

11.Three-digit numbers are made using the digits 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 and 9. No digit may be used twice in the same number. Work out how many of these three-digit numbers are odd.

12.Five different books are placed in a row on a shelf. Work out how many different orders the five books can be placed in.

13.A vending machine sells 4 types of crisps, 5 types of chocolate bar and 2 types of drink. Work out how many different combinations of one crisp packet, one chocolate bar and one drink can be bought.

14.A car manufacturer offers a car in 6 colours and 4 trim levels. Two colour-and-trim combinations are not available: red with sport trim, and white with sport trim. Work out how many different colour-and-trim combinations are available.

15.A florist has 5 different flowers. Freya picks 3 of them to make a small bunch, and the order in which she picks them does not matter. Work out how many different bunches she could make.