Find the total number of ways in which the letters of the word 'MISSISSIPPI' can be arranged, so that any two S's do not come together.
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The number of ways we can arrange the 7 letters in the word "MISSISSIPPI", which are not "S" (1 "M", 4 "I"s and 2 "P"s):
4 ! 2 ! 7 ! = 1 0 5
Now, we can put the each of 4 letter "S"s one by one in 8 places: after one of the other 7 letters or in the front. The number of ways this can be done is:
( 4 8 ) = 7 0
Hence, our answer should be:
1 0 5 × 7 0 = 7 3 5 0