SCHOOL OF COMPUTER SCIENCE

  Puzzle 29: Seating


A theatre has 137 seats and every ticket is sold for this evening’s performance. The theatre goers arrive in random order. Unfortunately the 17th theatre goer is drunk and goes to a random seat, instead of his assigned seat. He sits down and immediately falls asleep. Subsequently, when a patron arrives and finds their seat already taken, they take a random seat. What is the probability that the last patron finds their assigned seat empty?

  Solution

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