Math teachers! They're worse than kids!

And don't even tell him about the ready-made cominations on the back of the menu. That'll just confuse things more -- especially if there are options.

Assuming the problem on the left corresponds to the items on the menu, then there are 4032 different combinations that can be made. Assuming that Mike hates exactly half the appetizers and then skips ordering dessert, the number of combinations is reduced to 252, which, of course, is 1/16 of the original amount, or nearly a 94% reduction.

And the kids are actually easier. They're such picky eaters. They get the same thing every time, or pick one of maybe 3 or 4 things.