English

The dinner table problem: the rectangular case

Combinatorics 2007-05-23 v1

Abstract

nn people are seated randomly at a rectangular table with n/2\lfloor n/2\rfloor and n/2\lceil n/2\rceil seats along the two opposite sides for two dinners. What's the probability that neighbors at the first dinner are no more neighbors at the second one? We give an explicit formula and we show that its asymptotic behavior as nn goes to infinity is e2(1+4/n)e^{-2}(1+4/n) (it is known that it is e2(14/n)e^{-2}(1-4/n) for a round table). A more general permutation problem is also considered.

Cite

@article{arxiv.math/0507293,
  title  = {The dinner table problem: the rectangular case},
  author = {Roberto Tauraso},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:math/0507293},
  year   = {2007}
}

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10 pages