Re: HSC 2013 3U Marathon Thread
I don't understand the bolded part. Can you clarify?
The problem is very difficult in its generalised form. I can imagine that it would use some form of the inclusion/exclusion principle.
Well, essentially we take an arrangement of 3 couples that are
already arranged so that no one sits with their couple. Then we add in another 2 people,
(imagine this line to be a circle)
So we have
A _ B _ A _ C _ B _ C _
That is an arrangement of 3 couples such that no couple is together, the _'s indicate spaces where we can put in the 2 couples DD.
Therefore, for every arrangement of 3 couples, there are 6C2 ways for the next couple to sit to make 4 couples arranged in a desired fashion.
i.e.
Is there something wrong with this?
That was meant for the same problem but the couples were alternating, I copied the question down incorrectly.