Question 735802
<pre>
You need a simpler formula that won't bog you down.

Although {{{n!/r!(n-r)!}}} is a correct formula, and is the one given in most
books, it often causes a lot of grief because you often have to write a very
long list of factors as you did above, and many of them will cancel out.

A better though equivalent formula that will give the same answer
is this:

The number of ways to choose R combinations out of N is:

N(N-1)(N-2)...( )  <-- until there are R factors)
—————————————————
R(R-1)(R-2)...2*1  <-- there will be R factors here for R!

So there will be the same number, R, of factors on the top as on the bottom.

Now we'll even make it easier anytime we are choosing more than half of
the number to choose from, as we are in this problem:

Since 11 is more than half of 16, it's easier to look at the problem this
way.  Every time we choose 11 players, we choose 5 to NOT PLAY on the team.
So choosing 11 to play is the same as choosing the 5 not to play, so it's

{{{(16*15*14*13*12)/(5*4*3*2*1)}}}

Notice I just started with 16 and came down *15*14, etc. until I had 5 factors
on the top and of course there will by 5 factors on the bottom with 5!.  Now
you can cancel the 5 into the 15, the 4*3 into the 12 and the 2 into the 14.
And you'll end up with 16*3*7*13 or 4368, same as the other tutor got. 

Edwin</pre>