Formation of the Team:
To form a team of 12 men, we need to select 12 individuals out of n persons. Let's assume that the total number of persons available to choose from is 'n'.

Relationships:
According to the given information, the relationship between the individuals can be expressed as:

A and B are three times as often together as C and S and E.

This implies that the number of times A and B are together is three times the number of times C, S, and E are together.

Calculating the Number of Combinations:
Now, let's calculate the number of combinations for each group.

1. A and B together:
The number of combinations for A and B can be calculated using the formula for combinations:

C(A,B) = nCr = n! / (r!(n-r)!)

Since we need to select 2 individuals from the group of n, the number of combinations for A and B is:

C(A,B) = nC2 = n! / (2!(n-2)!) = n(n-1)/2

2. C, S, and E together:
Similarly, the number of combinations for C, S, and E is:

C(C, S, E) = nC3 = n! / (3!(n-3)!) = n(n-1)(n-2)/6

3. Calculation of Ratio:
According to the given information, A and B are three times as often together as C, S, and E. Therefore, the ratio of the combinations is:

(n(n-1)/2) : (n(n-1)(n-2)/6) = 3 : 1

Conclusion:
In conclusion, a team of 12 men is to be formed out of n persons. The relationship between the individuals is such that A and B are three times as often together as C, S, and E. The number of combinations for A and B is given by n(n-1)/2, and the number of combinations for C, S, and E is given by n(n-1)(n-2)/6. The ratio of the combinations is 3:1, indicating that A and B are three times as often together as C, S, and E.