Question

Blouses and Skirts: A woman has 5 blouses and 8 skirts.

How many different outfits can she wear?

Short answer

40 different outfits she can wear.

Step-by-step solution

 Step 1. Given information

$$\begin{gathered} \mathrm{Let}\mathrm{number}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{Blouses}\mathrm{be}\mathrm{p}\mathrm{and}\mathrm{number}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{Skirts}\mathrm{be}\mathrm{q}: \\ \mathrm{p}=5 \\ \mathrm{q}=8 \end{gathered}$$

 Step 2. Calculation

$$\begin{gathered} \mathrm{Different}\mathrm{Blouses}\mathrm{and}\mathrm{skirts}\mathrm{arrangements}\mathrm{she}\mathrm{can}\mathrm{wear}\mathrm{is}(\mathrm{p}·\mathrm{q}) \\ \mathrm{p}·\mathrm{q}=5\times 8 \\ \mathrm{p}·\mathrm{q}=40 \end{gathered}$$