Find the number of permutations of n different things taken r at a time such that two specified things occur together ?
There are x things
Two specific things are to occur together, so remaining things are (r - 2).
Now, number of ways to arrange (r - 2) things out of (n−2)=(n−2)P(r−2).
Two things can be arranged is (r - 1) ways. and these two can be placed in 2 ways.
Therefore,
Required number of ways
=2(r−1)(n−2)P(r−2)