The number of ways in which 8 different flowers can be seated to form

[1234]5678

Assume that 1234 are alwasy together So. we can arrange themselves in 4! ways.
X5678
Now treat [1234]=X one single group we have 5 flower snad arrange in circular way= (5-1)!

4!*4!
A.

The number of ways in which 8 different flowers can be seated to form a garland so that 4 particular flowers are never separated is:
A) 4!4!
B) 288
C) 8!/4!
D) 5!4!
E) 8!4!

Soln. I too go with A.
(5-1)! * 4!

I feel 4! * 4! is not the final answer to this question. This number should be divided by 2 because a single garland when turned around gives us a different arrangement, but its still the same garland.

Answer: 4! * 4!/2 = 288
B

if 4 flowers must be toghter, we can think that at first we must seat that flowers in 5 seats, in that case ther are 5! cases, but we have 4flowers which in every case of 5! we can arrange its in 4! case, so there are 5!*4! cases
Answer is D

Hi, I am new here and do not have much experience with forum discussions and solving GMAT problems as well.
But here's my point of view. (I'll appreciate if you tell me why I might be wrong.)
I don't think clock-wise and anti-clock-wise arrangements are applicable for garlands. It's decorated with those flowers only on its front side. You don't normally turn it around and hang it backward. So anti-clockwise arrangement should not be even considered. It's similar to arrangements of people sitting around the table. You don't normally think of clock or anti-clockwise arrangements here, cause you can't turn the table around. So I think the OA to the problem is correct. Am I wrong here?