There are 8 candidates for student government: Hal, Mary, Ann, Frank, Beth, John, Emily, and Tom. The three candidates that receive the highest number of votes become candidates for a runoff election. How many 3-candidate combinations are possible?

56

Step-by-step explanation:

Given that there are 8 candidates for student government: Hal, Mary, Ann, Frank, Beth, John, Emily, and Tom.

The three candidates that receive the highest number of votes become candidates for a runoff election.

i. e. 3 persons out of 8 to be selected for becoming candidates for a runoff election.

Since order does not matter we use combinations here

3 persons out of 8 can be done in 8C3 ways

= 56

no of 3-candidate combinations possible are 56