The multiplication principle, also called the fundamental counting principle, states that if a procedure consists of 
successive choices and the 
th choice can be made in 
ways for every combination of preceding choices, then the
procedure can be performed in
 |
ways. In particular, if one choice can be made in 
ways and a second in 
ways for each first choice, then the pair of choices can be
made in 
ways. No probabilistic independence assumption is involved.
