Permutations and Combinations in Circular Arrangement

permutations

8 persons sit at a round table with 10 seats so that there is exactly one person between the two empty seats. How many possible arrangements are there?

Here's what I have so far:

${10 \choose 1}$ (for choosing the seat of the person to be isolated)

(8-1)! (to permute the group of 3 + remaining 7 people around the round table)

So my solution is 10*7! number of possible arrangements. Is this correct?

Best Answer

It doesn't matter how the "seat between the empty seats" is chosen, because we are considering a round table. We simply need to choose one person to sit here, and arrange the remaining 7. The number of possible arrangements is thus:

$$8 \cdot 7! = 8!$$

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