Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) Practice Test

The first step in finding the number of outcomes under a specific combination rule, such as choosing 4 out of 8 while ensuring that a condition is met, typically involves calculating the total combinations without restrictions. This approach lays the groundwork for understanding the overall scenario before considering any specific conditions or restrictions.

By determining the total possible combinations, you gain a baseline from which you can then analyze how the specific conditions (like ensuring certain elements are included or excluded) might affect the total count. This foundational count allows for more structured deductions or adjustments later in the problem-solving process.

In this context, starting with the unrestricted total helps clarify the problem and provides an important reference point for any subsequent calculations. After establishing this total, you would then proceed to calculate the valid outcomes by adjusting based on any additional conditions present in the problem.