Four couples have purchased ticket to the school play. Their sear are next to one another in a single row. If each couple sits side by side, how many seating arrangements are possible?
(I came up with 24. correct??)
I count 64 posibilitys: p=person s=seat
p ssssssss
p ssssssss
p ssssssss
p ssssssss
p ssssssss
p ssssssss
p ssssssss
p ssssssss
is that with the requirement that each couple sit side by side?
no
if the couples have to sit side by side then i count 32
In the first seat: There are 8 possibilites for who sits there.
In the second seat: There is only 1 possibility (the other member of the couple).
In the third seat: There are 6 possibilites for who sits there.
In the fourth seat: There is only 1 possibility (the other member of the couple).
In the fifth seat: There are 4 possibilities for who sits there.
In the sixth seat: There is only 1 possibility (the other member of the couple).
In the seventh seat: There are 2 possibilities for who sits there.
In the eighth seat: There is only 1 possibility (the last member of the last couple).
Answer: 8*1*6*1*4*1*2*1 = 384 different possibilities!