To determine the number of different meal combinations, we use the fundamental counting principle, which states that if one event can occur in $m$ ways and a second event can occur in $n$ ways, then the total number of ways both events can occur is:

$m \times n$

• There are 3 choices for sandwiches: ham, turkey, or veggie.
• There are 2 choices for drinks: water or soda.

Thus, the total number of meal combinations is:

$3 \times 2 = 6$

List of possible combinations:

1. Ham + Water
2. Ham + Soda
3. Turkey + Water
4. Turkey + Soda
5. Veggie + Water
6. Veggie + Soda

So, the total number of different meal combinations is 6.

Would you like a detailed explanation of the counting principle?

Here are 5 related questions to deepen understanding:

1. What if a third drink option (juice) is added? How many combinations would there be?
2. What if you could choose one or two sandwiches in a meal?
3. How many combinations exist if an additional side (fries or salad) is included?
4. If you can repeat choices (e.g., 2 drinks in a meal), how does this affect the count?
5. What if some sandwiches are unavailable on certain days? How would that impact the number of choices?

Tip: The fundamental counting principle applies to many real-life scenarios, including clothing choices, travel routes, and passwords.