In recent years, a state has issued license plates using a combination of two letters of the alphabet followed by three digits, followed by another two letters of the alphabet. How many different license plates can be issued using this configuration?

456,976,000 different license plates can be issued

Step-by-step explanation:

The license plate can have: two letters, three digits, two letters

In all, there are seven characters. The first, second, sixth and seventh characters are letters of the alphabets and so there are 26 options (choices) available. The third, fourth and fifth, however are numbers and so have just 10 options (choices). SO, the total number of plates is obtained by multiplying all available options.

Total license plates = 26 × 26 × 10 × 10 × 10 × 26 × 26 = 456,976,000 plates

the perimeter is increased by a factor of 2