How many comparisons must be made in order to rank ten people from highest to lowest on a given characteristic?
A) 15
B) 25
C) 35
D) 45

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

To rank ten people from highest to lowest, you would need to compare each person with every other person. This can be calculated using the formula for combinations without repetition: n(n - 1) / 2, where n is the number of people. For 10 people, this is 10(10 - 1) / 2 = 45 comparisons.

How Many Comparisons Must Be Made in Order to Rank