SOLUTION: I have a friend named Ed, he and his four friends are having ice cream. There are only three flavors available at the ice cream store, chocolate, vanilla strawberry. One of Ed's fr

Let's say Stacey is his first friend.

We'll start with Stacey's cone.  She can either get one,
two or three scoops of chocolate.  So there are 3
ways to fill Stacey's cone.

Now let's concentrate on filling Ed's cone.  He can get

A. One scoop.  He can choose that scoop 3 ways.
B. Two scoops.  He can choose the bottom scoop 
   3 ways and the top scoop 3 ways, so that's 3x3 or 9 
   ways Ed can get two scoops. 
C. Three scoops. He can choose the bottom scoop 
   3 ways and the middle scoop 3 ways, and the top scoop 3
   ways so that's 3x3x3 or 27 ways Ed can get three scoops.
   
So Ed's cone can be filled 3+9+27 or 39 ways.

So for each of the 3 ways Stacey's cone can be filled,
there are 39 ways Ed's cone can be filled, so that's
3x39 ways to fill Stacey's and Ed's cone.

Now for each of the 3x39 ways Stacey's and Ed's cones can 
be filled, there are 39 ways Ed's second friend's cone can 
be filled, so that's 3x39x39 ways to fill Stacey's, Ed's 
and Ed's second friend's cone.

Now for each of the 3x39x39 ways Stacey's, Ed's, and Ed's
first friend's cones can be filled, there are 39 ways Ed's 
third friend's cone can be filled, so that's 3x39x39x39 
ways to fill Stacey's, Ed's, Ed's second friend's, and Ed's
third friend's cones.

Now for each of the 3x39x39x39 ways Stacey's, Ed's, Ed's
second friend's, and Ed's third friend's cones can be filled, 
there are 39 ways Ed's fourth friend's cone can be filled, 
so that's 3x39x39x39x39.

So the final answer is 3x39x39x39x39 = 3x394 or
6,940,323 ways.

Edwin