It is not clear whether the words "it will have 3 face cards" means "EXACTLY 3 and no more" or whether it means "AT LEAST 3". I will considering that it means getting EXACTLY 3 face cards and no more. The denominator of the desired probability in either case is the number of ways to choose 5 cards from the 52: 52 Choose 5 = 52C5 =After cancelling and multiplying or multiplying and dividing, we get 2598960 The numerator of the desired probability in this case is the number of ways to choose 3 cards from the 12 face cards and 2 cards from the other 40 non-face cards 12 Choose 3 = 12C3 = After cancelling and multiplying or multiplying and dividing, we get 220 For each of those ways to get exactly 3 face cards, there are 40C2 ways to choose 2 non-face cards to go with the 3 face cards. 40 Choose 2 = 40C2 = After cancelling and multiplying or multiplying and dividing, we get So the number of possible hands with EXACTLY 3 face cards and EXACTLY 2 non-face cards is 220*780 = 171600 So the probability of getting EXACTLY 3 face cards and EXACTLY 2 non-face cards is which reduces to or about 6.6% of the time. --------------------------- If your problem means "AT LEAST 3 face card", then we have to find the probability of getting EXACTLY 4 face cards and EXACTLY 1 non-face card. AND the probability of getting ALL 5 face cards. and add those two probabilities to the These will be found similar to the other case. Edwin