A student is to select three courses for next semester. If this student decides to randomly select one course from each of seven economic courses, nine mathematics courses, and four computer courses, how many different outcomes are possible?

The number of different outcomes possible for the student's selection of courses can be calculated using the fundamental counting principle. This principle states that if you can do one task in 'm' ways and another task in 'n' ways, then there are m * n ways to do both tasks.

In this case, the student has to select one course from each of three categories: - 7 economic courses - 9 mathematics courses - 4 computer courses

For the economics courses, there are 7 ways to choose one course. For the mathematics courses, there are 9 ways to choose one course. For the computer courses, there are 4 ways to choose one course.

Using the fundamental counting principle, we multiply the number of ways the student can choose courses in each category:

7 (economic courses) * 9 (mathematics courses) * 4 (computer courses) = 63 * 4 = 252 different outcomes.

So, the student can create 252 different combinations of one economics, one mathematics, and one computer course for the next semester.