Answer:
The area 2730 possible arrangements of first, second, and third place.
Step-by-step explanation:
The order in which the students finish is important. For example A, B and C is a different finishing order(outcome) than B, A and C. So we use the permutations formula to solve this question.
Permutations formula:
The number of possible permutations of x elements from a set of n elements is given by the following formula:
[tex]P_{(n,x)} = \frac{n!}{(n-x)!}[/tex]
In this question:
3 from a set of 15. So
[tex]P_{(15,3)} = \frac{15!}{(15-3)!} = 2730[/tex]
The area 2730 possible arrangements of first, second, and third place.