First we must calculate the number of distinguishable arrangements whether the R's come together or not, and then we must calculate the number of arrangements when they come together, and then subtract the second number from the first. If it were ARraNGEMenTS, (where you could tell A from a, R from r, and N from n, and E from e, the number of arrangements would be 12! But since we cannot tell the difference between A and a, since they are both capital, we have to divide by 2! so as not to count, say, these two, AaEeGMNnRrST and aAEeGMNnRrST as two separate arrangements. So we take out what we consider as A-duplications and we getas the number of arrangements of AAEeGMNnRrST. --- Also since we cannot tell the difference between E and e, since they are both capital, we have to divide by 2! again so as not to count, say, these two, AAEeGMNnRrST and AAeEGMNnRrST as two separate arrangements. So we take out what we consider as E-duplications and we get as the number of arrangements of AAEEGMNnRrST. --- Also since we cannot tell the difference between N and n, since they are both capital, we have to divide by 2! again so as not to count, say, these two, AAEEGMNnRrST and AAEEGMnNRrST as two separate arrangements. So we take out what we consider as N-duplications and we get as the number of arrangements of AAEEGMNNRrST. --- Also since we cannot tell the difference between R and r, since they are both capital, we have to divide by 2! again so as not to count, say, these two, AAEEGMNNRrST and AAEEGMNNrRST as two separate arrangements. So we take out what we consider as R-duplications and we get as the number of arrangements of AAEEGMNNRRST. That's = = 29937600 ----- Now we must calculate the number of arrangements where the R's come together, so we can subtract them from the above number. If the R's come together, we are finding the number of arrangements of the 11 things A[RR]ANGEMENTS, where the [RR] is considered as if it were one single letter instead of two letters. --------- Similar to the first, if it were A[RR]aNGEMenTS, (where you could tell A from a, R from r, and N from n, and E from e, the number of arrangements would be 11! But since we cannot tell the difference between A and a, since they are both capital, we have to divide by 2! so as not to count, say, these two, AaEeGMNn[RR]ST and aAEeGMNn[RR]ST as two separate arrangements. So we take out what we consider as A-duplications and we get as the number of arrangements of AAEeGMNnRRST. --- Also since we cannot tell the difference between E and e, since they are both capital, we have to divide by 2! again so as not to count, say, these two, AAEeGMNn[RR]ST and AAeEGMNn[RR]ST as two separate arrangements. So we take out what we consider as E-duplications and we get as the number of arrangements of AAEEGMNn[RR]ST. --- Also since we cannot tell the difference between N and n, since they are both capital, we have to divide by 2! again so as not to count, say, these two, AAEEGMNn[RR]ST and AAEEGMnN[RR]ST as two separate arrangements. So we take out what we consider as N-duplications and we get as the number of arrangements of AAEEGMNN[RR]ST. That's = = 4989600 -------------------- So we subtract to get the final answer: 29937600 - 4989600 = 2948000 And that's the number of distinguishable arrangements of ARRANGEMENTS where the two R's are not together. Edwin