Question

Assume that the student
has a cup with 15 writing implements: 8 pencils, 5 ball
point pens, and 2 felt-tip pens.In how many ways can the selection be made if no more than one ball
point pen is selected?

Answer 1

"In how many ways can <b>the selection</b> be made if no more than one ball point pen is selected?"

your question is not clear.
Are the pencils all the same ? etc

Is one ball-point, 6 pencils and 2 felt-tips a "selection" ?
Is just one pencil a "selection" ?
You have to define what you mean by a selection.

Answer 2

I thought it over and I would do it this way:

the pencils can be taken in 9 ways, that is,
take none, 1,2,3,.. or 8 of them
the ball-point pens can be taken in 2 ways, none or 1
the felt-tips in 3 ways, none, one or both.
number of selections = 9(2)(3) or 54

But that would include the case of taking none at all, which would not be a selection,

so number of selections is 54-1 or

53 ways.

Answer 3

I don't know the answer but i know the answer is not 53. Not all info was givin to complete the problem. It should have read that they student will select 5 writing implements. How many ways if only one ball poin at selected.