• Congratulations to the Class of 2024 on your results!
    Let us know how you went here
    Got a question about your uni preferences? Ask us here

Circular Arrangements- What's wrong with my working? (1 Viewer)

bleh1234

New Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2015
Messages
26
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
Find the number of ways of seating 10 people around a table if three people are to sit together.
The answer is 4320, but i got 30240.
I did:
Let the 3 people be one group. Therefore, there are 8 groups.
Total arrangements of groups x arranging the 3 people in the one group
(8-1)! x 3! = 30240.
Thanks very much :)
 

SilentWaters

Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2014
Messages
55
Gender
Male
HSC
2014
4320 is wrong, it's short by a factor of 7 (and I think it assumes there are 6 distinct groups being arranged, rather than 7). Your answer's right.
 

bleh1234

New Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2015
Messages
26
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
Thank you! :)
I'm not sure if anyone will see this but i have another permutations question. (i feel annoying starting a new thread)
Any help is appreciated:
How many different arrangements are possible if 3 letters are randomly selected from the word CHALLENGE and arranged into ‘words’?
 

FrankXie

Active Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2014
Messages
330
Location
Parramatta, NSW
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
Uni Grad
2004
case (i) three letters all different:7p3
case (ii) two alike one different: 2c1 times 6c1 times 3!/2!
then sum up
 

mrpotatoed

Active Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2014
Messages
195
Gender
Male
HSC
2015
SilentWalters is wrong, your working would be right if they were arranged in a line. For a circle you have to divide your answer by the number of groups (7)... hence the answer in the book.
 

braintic

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2011
Messages
2,137
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
SilentWalters is wrong, your working would be right if they were arranged in a line. For a circle you have to divide your answer by the number of groups (7)... hence the answer in the book.
No, I am afraid you are wrong.
The division by 7 has already been accounted for, because the three neighbours have only been ordered, not placed in three specific seats.
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top