Question

In a prize drawing at a fundraiser, you choose three different numbers from 1 to 8. How many ways are there to choose three numbers?

Answer 1

This is a combination problem :)
First, you must understand the concept of "factorial"
It's denoted by a "!"

n! = n x (n-1) ...... x 1
For example
4! = 4 x 3 x 2 x 1 = 24
Note that
1! = 1 = 0!

All set? Good.
Now a combination, denoted by
nCr
means how many ways you can select r items from a set of n items.
Its formula is given by:

\[nCr = \frac{n!}{(n-r)!r!}\]

Answer 2

Now you have 8 numbers and are choosing 3
So you have to figure out

8C3

Good luck! And feel free to ask me if you get stuck :)