Try it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
Fifteen people meet, and each of them shakes hands once with every other person. How many handshakes are there?
A combination is a selection in which order does not matter. , and . Also and .
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. What is chosen? Each handshake is a pair of people, and the pair has no order.
Step 2. Count the pairs. .
Answer: handshakes.
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