Final answer:
The Supreme Court consists of nine justices: one chief justice and eight associate justices. The number was established by Congress in 1869 and has remained the same since then. Justices are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate.
Step-by-step explanation:
Number of Justices on the Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the United States consists of nine justices. This number includes one chief justice and eight associate justices. The current composition of the Supreme Court includes a mix of conservative and liberal justices, with six generally considered conservative and three seen as more liberal.
Justices on the Supreme Court are appointed for life, following their nomination by the President and confirmation by the Senate. Since 1869, the number of justices has been set at nine, after varying during the early years of the Court's history. Initially, there were only six justices, but the number increased to seven and then to ten, before being set at the current nine justices.
Congress established the number of Supreme Court justices through the Judiciary Act of 1869, and it has not changed since then. The decisions of the Supreme Court are binding on all other courts within the United States and are of great importance, making the role of these nine justices vital for the interpretation of laws and the Constitution.