Final answer:
The genetic code uses combinations of three nucleotide bases, known as codons, to code for amino acids. With four different bases, there are 64 possible codons, which can encode the 20 common amino acids in proteins.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question is about the genetic code and how it translates the sequence of nucleotide bases (A, U, G, C) in RNA into the amino acids that make up proteins. The genetic code operates with sets of three nucleotide bases called codons, and given that there are four different bases, there are a total of 64 (43) possible three-letter codons. These 64 codons are more than sufficient to code for the 20 common amino acids found in proteins, with some amino acids being coded by more than one codon.