EMPOWERgmatRichC
Hi dave13,
There were a couple of errors in how you attempted to answer your initial question. First, in the original prompt, there were chairs on one side of the table and stools on the other side (and this impacts the permutation involved). Second, there are 3 boys and 3 girls, meaning that there are NOT '6 ways to place a girl', etc. (re: a Girl must be placed in the "girl spot" and a Boy must be placed in the "boy spot"). If you go back and rework your calculations, then what result would you get?
In the second question (in which the three girls essentially had to sit 'side-by-side', your approach is correct. Each of the 4 options would have 3!(3!) iterations - so the total possible way to seat the 6 people would be 4(3!)(3!) = 144.
GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
Contact Rich at: [email protected] EMPOWERgmatRichC hey Rich , thanks!
ok let me try again

solution to question one.
Total number of ways to arrange 3 boys and 3 girls (without any restrictions) is 6! = 720
number of ways when BGB = ( there are 3 boys to choose from for the first place, 3 girls to choose from for the second place, 2 boys to choose for the third place,
on the other side of the table (GBG) for the fourth place 2 girls to choose from and for the fifth and and sixth places 1 girl and 1 boy)
So, 3*3*2*2*1*1 = 36
now that I have calculated arrangements on both sides of table BGB and GBG there is also another arrangement GBG and BGB
so 36*2 = 72 not sure though
So 720 - 72 = 648 is it correct answer ?
So when arranging some numbers of boys and girls should i always treat all boys as different elements ? i mean B1 B2 B3 etc same logic applies for girls G1, G2, G3
however you seem to emphasize difference between chairs and stools in your comment below
EMPOWERgmatRichC
First, in the original prompt, there were chairs on one side of the table and stools on the other side (and this impacts the permutation involved).
what if on both sides of table there were chairs ? how would it impact solution ?