How many meal combinations can one person have if every meal comes with 1 appetizer, a salad or soup, an entree and dessert. The menu has 5 appetizers, 3 salads, 2 soups, 9 entrees, and 2 desserts.

Question

As part of a marketing campaign for a small restaurant they want to show off the number of different meals a person can have if they order an appetizer, salad or soup, an entree, and a dessert. On the menu they have 5 appetizers you can order, 3 salads, 2 soups, 9 entrees, and 2 desserts.

How many different total meal combinations can be made?

Answer 1

This is more of a critical thinking type problem.

Think of it more of a options multiplication problem. Think smaller first.

If you have two fruits (apple, orange) and two drinks (milk,water) , the combinations possible are:

1) apple, water 2) apple, milk 3)orange, milk 4) orange, water

Now if you had more and more options, it would be a lot to list but you can simply multiply the number of options.

2 fruits * 2 drinks = 4 combinations.

So in the realm of this problem,

(appetizer options)*(salad or soup options)*(entree options)*(dessert options)

= 5*5*9*2=450 combinations