In how many ways can 9 people be seated on a bench if only 3 places are available?

In how many ways can 9 people be seated on a bench if only 3 places are available?

Answer Details

Since only 3 places are available, the number of ways to choose 3 people out of 9 to fill these seats is given by the combination formula: \[^{9}C_{3} = \frac{9!}{3!(9-3)!} = 84.\] After the selection, the 3 people can be arranged in the available seats in 3! ways, which is 6. Therefore, the total number of ways 9 people can be seated on a bench if only 3 places are available is 84 x 6 = 504. So, the answer is (B) 504.