There are 20 entries in the chess tournament. How many ways can the entries finish in first, second, and third place?
A. 340
B. 6,840
C. 7,220
D. 8,350.
There are 20 options for first place, then 19 remaining options for second place, and 18 remaining options for third place. Therefore, the total number of ways is:
20 x 19 x 18 = 6,840
So the answer is (B) 6,840.
To determine the number of ways the entries can finish in first, second, and third place, we can use the concept of permutations.
Since there are 20 entries, there are 20 possible candidates for the first place. After the first place is determined, there are 19 remaining candidates for the second place. Finally, after the first and second places are determined, there are 18 remaining candidates for the third place.
Therefore, the number of ways the entries can finish in first, second, and third place is given by the product of these three values:
20 * 19 * 18 = 6,840
Therefore, the correct answer is B. 6,840.