BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem
TTP OnDemand GMAT Video Course
Featured Course

Target Test Prep GMAT OnDemand

Scott Woodbury-Stewart’s private virtual classroom — 400 hours of master-class video lessons for the GMAT Focus Edition.

  • 715+ score guarantee — highest in the industry (99th percentile)
  • 52 chapters · 1,500+ lessons · 4,000+ practice questions
  • 400 hours of video · 1,500+ instructor-led HD smartboard lessons
  • 300,000+ students accepted to Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Booth & Sloan & more
  • 24/7 live support + weekly Zoom office hours with GMAT instructors
  • TTP AI Assist — 24/7 AI-powered virtual tutor for instant help
  • 1,200+ flashcards + AI-powered study assistant & daily calendar
  • OnDemand, LiveTeach & GMAT Bootcamp formats available
  • Also: GRE, SAT Math & Executive Assessment courses
  • MBA Admissions Consulting now available
  • 🏆 2025 EdTech Breakthrough Award: Test Prep Solution Provider of the Year
  • 200,000+ students served
  • 5-day free trial — $0 to start, no auto-billing, cancel anytime
★★★★★ 5.0 (559 reviews)
130-pt guarantee
$0 to start then $127/mo
Start Free 5-Day Trial Read 559 Reviews →

Tom, Bill, Robert, Roger, and Terry are standing in a row for a group photo.

Expert replies
Post new topic Post Reply
Previous Topic Next Topic
Legendary Member
Posts: 1223
Joined: Sat Feb 15, 2020 2:23 pmFollowed by: 1 member
by BTGModeratorVI » Sun Jul 26, 2020 6:38 am

Timer

00:00

Answers

A

B

C

D

E

Stats

Difficulty—

Tom, Bill, Robert, Roger, and Terry are standing in a row for a group photo. In how many different orders can the five men stand if Tom refuses to stand next to Roger?

A. 48
B. 64
C. 72
D. 96
E. 120

Answer: C
Source: Veritas Prep
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Source: — Problem Solving |

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 3008
Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2016 6:19 amFollowed by: 34 members
Location: Grand Central / New York
Thanked: 470 times

Re: Tom, Bill, Robert, Roger, and Terry are standing in a row for a group photo.

by Jay@ManhattanReview » Sun Jul 26, 2020 10:52 pm
BTGModeratorVI wrote: ↑
Sun Jul 26, 2020 6:38 am
 Tom, Bill, Robert, Roger, and Terry are standing in a row for a group photo. In how many different orders can the five men stand if Tom refuses to stand next to Roger?

A. 48
B. 64
C. 72
D. 96
E. 120

Answer: C
Source: Veritas Prep
No. of ways five men can stand to get photographed = 5! = 120;

Now in 120 ways, there are ways in which Tom and Robert stand next to each other and we must exclude those ways.

Let's consider Tom and Robert as one person, so the no. of ways four men can stand to get photographed = 4! = 24. We must double these ways as Tom and Robert can swap their positions, while they still are next to each other.

Total no. unrequited ways = 2*24 = 48

Thus, the required ways = 120 – 48 = 72

Correct answer: C

Hope this helps!

-Jay
_________________
Manhattan Review GMAT Prep

Locations: GMAT Prep Atlanta | SAT Prep San Francisco | GMAT Prep USA | TOEFL Prep Minneapolis | and many more...

Schedule your free consultation with an experienced GMAT Prep Advisor! Click here.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Legendary Member
Posts: 2545
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2017 2:04 pmFollowed by: 6 members

Re: Tom, Bill, Robert, Roger, and Terry are standing in a row for a group photo.

by swerve » Mon Jul 27, 2020 4:22 am
BTGModeratorVI wrote: ↑
Sun Jul 26, 2020 6:38 am
 Tom, Bill, Robert, Roger, and Terry are standing in a row for a group photo. In how many different orders can the five men stand if Tom refuses to stand next to Roger?

A. 48
B. 64
C. 72
D. 96
E. 120

Answer: C
Source: Veritas Prep
# total number of different orders - # number of different orders with Tom and Roger standing together = # number of different orders with Tom and Roger not standing together.

\(5! - 4! \times 2\) (Tom and Roger can change their positions, hence 2 cases for that) \(= 120 - 48 = 72\)

Therefore, C
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 16207
Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:26 pmFollowed by: 1268 members
Location: Vancouver, BC
Thanked: 5254 times
GMAT Score:770

Re: Tom, Bill, Robert, Roger, and Terry are standing in a row for a group photo.

by Brent@GMATPrepNow » Mon Jul 27, 2020 5:46 am
BTGModeratorVI wrote: ↑
Sun Jul 26, 2020 6:38 am
 Tom, Bill, Robert, Roger, and Terry are standing in a row for a group photo. In how many different orders can the five men stand if Tom refuses to stand next to Roger?

A. 48
B. 64
C. 72
D. 96
E. 120

Answer: C
Source: Veritas Prep
Take the task of arranging the 5 men and break it into stages.

Stage 1: Arrange Bill, Robert, and Terry in a row
There are 3 people, so we can arrange them in 3! ways.

Now that we've arranged 3 men, we'll place a potential standing space on each side of these 3 men.
For example: ___ Terry ___ Robert ___ Bill ___
Notice that, when we place the 2 remaining men (Tom and Roger), in the 4 available spaces, we will be guaranteed that they are not next to each other.

Stage 2: Select a place for Tom to stand
There are 4 spaces available,, so we can complete this stage in 4 ways.

Stage 3: Select a place for Roger to stand
There are 3 remaining spaces, so we can complete this stage in 3 ways.

By the Fundamental Counting Principle (FCP), we can complete all 3 stages (and thus arrange all 5 men) in (3!)(4)(3) ways (= 72 ways)

Answer: C

Note: the FCP can be used to solve the MAJORITY of counting questions on the GMAT. For more information about the FCP, watch this video: https://www.gmatprepnow.com/module/gmat- ... /video/775

You can also watch a demonstration of the FCP in action: https://www.gmatprepnow.com/module/gmat ... /video/776

Then you can try solving the following questions:

EASY
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/what-should- ... 67256.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/counting-pro ... 44302.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/picking-a-5- ... 73110.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/permutation- ... 57412.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/simple-one-t270061.html


MEDIUM
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/combinatoric ... 73194.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/arabian-hors ... 50703.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/sub-sets-pro ... 73337.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/combinatoric ... 73180.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/digits-numbers-t270127.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/doubt-on-sep ... 71047.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/combinatoric ... 67079.html


DIFFICULT
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/wonderful-p- ... 71001.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/permutation- ... 73915.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/permutation-t122873.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/no-two-ladie ... 75661.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/combinations-t123249.html


Cheers,
Brent
Brent Hanneson - Creator of GMATPrepNow.com
Image
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Post new topic Post Reply
• Page 1 of 1