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You have 5 math books and 6 history books to put on a shelf with five slots. In how many ways can you put the books on the shelf if the first two slots are to be filled with math books and the next three with history books?

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Answer: There are 5 choices for the book to put on the first slot and 4 choices for the book to put on the second slot, since we have to pick a math book each time. Then, there are 6 choices for the book to put on the third slot, 5 choices for the book to put on the fourth slot, and 4 choices for the book to put on the fifth slot, since we have to pick a history book each time.

Therefore, the total number of ways to put the books on the shelf is:

5 × 4 × 6 × 5 × 4 = 2,400

So there are 2,400 ways to arrange the 5 math books and 6 history books on the shelf such that the first two slots are filled with math books and the next three with history books.

Explanation:

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