[Math] Number of arrangements in which no two persons sit side by side

combinatoricspermutations

There are $10$ seats in the first row of the theater out of which $4$ are to be occupied. Find the number of ways of arranging $4$ people so that no two people sit side by side.

Making different cases would be very lengthy process. Is there any smarter way to approach this problem?

Best Answer

Hint: Imagine that you have ten chairs. Set out six empty chairs in a row, leaving spaces between them and at the ends of the row in which to place the four people.

$$\square c \square c \square c \square c \square c \square c \square$$

Choose four of those seven spaces in which to place the chairs of the four people, then arrange the people in those chosen spaces.