Selecting 5 students to participate in a math contest would require combinations.
SOLUTION:
given that, Selecting 5 students to participate in a math contest would require the calculating of a permutation or combination?
So, we need to differentiate between permutations and combinations.
Permutations - In mathematics, permutation is the act of arranging the members of a set into a sequence or order
Combinations - In mathematics, a combination is a selection of items from a collection, such that the order of selection does not matter.
So, now, for our math test, we just require students but not in an order nor with arrangements.
Hence, selecting 5 students to participate in a math contest would require combinations.