Question

Six friends go to a movie theater. In how many different ways can they sit together in a row of 6 empty seats?

Short answer

The six friends can sit together in a row of 6 empty seats in 720 different ways.

Step-by-step solution

Understanding Permutations

Permutations represent the number of ways a set of objects can be arranged in order. Here, we are finding the number of ways 6 different friends can sit in 6 seats, and different arrangements are considered unique. If there are \(n\) things, they can be arranged in \(n!\) ways (where '!' stands for factorial, meaning the multiplication of all positive whole numbers up to \(n\)).

Calculate the Permutations

In this problem, there are 6 friends and 6 seats, so the number of permutations is calculated with \(6!\). Calculating the factorial: \(6! = 6 \times 5 \times 4 \times 3 \times 2 \times 1 = 720\). Thus, there could be 720 different possible arrangements for the six friends.

Key concepts

Factorial Concept

In mathematics, the concept of a factorial is central to the study of permutations and combinations. It is denoted with an exclamation point (!) and represents the product of all positive integers up to a specified number. For example, the factorial of 4, written as \(4!\), is calculated by multiplying \(4 \times 3 \times 2 \times 1\), which equals \(24\).

The factorial function grows rapidly with larger numbers, so much so that \(10!\) is already \(3,628,800\), illustrating the explosive nature of combinations as we add more items to arrange. The concept is particularly useful when considering the total number of ways to order a set number of distinct objects, which is fundamental in calculating permutations.

It is also important to note that the factorial of zero, \(0!\), is defined as 1, which is a convention necessary for formulating certain combinatorial expressions correctly.

Arrangements in Order

When dealing with permutations, the order of arrangement is key. The term 'arrangements in order' implies that the sequence of items matters. In our exercise with the six friends going to a movie theater, each unique order the friends can sit in counts as a different arrangement.

In such scenarios, if we consider each friend to be a unique individual, then the arrangement 'ABCD' would be different from 'BACD', even though both arrangements include the same group of friends. For sequences where some items are identical, the calculation can become more complex, taking into account how the identical items reduce the total number of unique arrangements.

This concept also extends to other practical applications, such as the arrangement of books on a shelf, the sequence of runners in a race, or even the order of letters in passwords.

Combinatorics

Combinatorics is a field of mathematics primarily concerned with counting, both as a means and an end in obtaining results, and certain properties of finite structures. It is related to other areas such as algebra, probability, and geometry, and has applications in many fields including computer science, optimization and statistics.

Within combinatorics, we distinguish between different types of problems, such as those involving permutations (arrangements of objects where order matters) and combinations (selections of objects where order does not matter). In our original exercise, the focus is on a permutation problem, as we are interested in the different orderings of the six friends.

Combinatorics not only involves counting these arrangements but also provides tools and formulas, like the factorial concept, to do so efficiently. By understanding and applying combinatorial principles, one can solve various problems ranging from simple to highly complex configurations.