There are 19 figure skaters in the Olympic women's competition, including 3 Americans. The gold medal goes to first place, silver to second, and bronze to third. In how many ways can the medals be awarded to three of the 19 figure skaters?
19 choices for gold, 18 choices for silver, and 17 choices for bronze.
19 x 18 x 17 = the answer
+773 
