Question 320930
Let n = total of city commissioners

Let r = how many candidate are taken from the total

This is a combination question from probability math.

The formula you need is given by: nCr = n!/[(n - r)! * r!]

The exclamation point (!) means factorial.

What is a factorial anyway?

A factorial is the product of all the positive integers from 1 to a given number.

For example, 6 factorial, written 6!, means 6 x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1 = 720.

What would 4! be?  It is 4 x 3 x 2 x 1 = 24.

Understand?

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Back to your question.

Let n = 12

Let r = 6

Replace every n! with 12 and every r! with 6 and then do the math.

nCr = 12!/[(12 - 6)!*6!]

nCr = 479001600/(720)(720)

nCr = 479001600/518400

nCr = 924

There are 924 ways or combinations to select 6 city commissioners from a group of 12 candidates.