If a first experiment can be performed in 5 distinct ways and a second experiment can be performed in 9 distinct ways, the two experiments together can be performed in how many distinct ways?

Noel is hoping to make a profit (in $) on the school play and has determined the function describing the profit to be f(t) = 8t – 2654, where t is the number of tickets sold. what does the number 8 tell you?