Sitting arrangements at a party?

Question

For Thanksgiving, I am planning a party. My guest will be seated at a long banquet style table. However, they will be seated only on one side of the table. I don't know how many guest will show up (it could be 1, it could be 100) neither I know their gender when they do. My rule is that no matter how many guests do show up regardless of their gender, I cannot have two males sitting next to each other. The question is how many arrangements can I work with no matter how may guests show up?

Could someone please help me understand this problem? Thank you

Answer 1

This is something that we do at staff dinners.

At each seat place a number (assume the most about of guests), then make duplicates of the numbers on pieces of paper. Put the evens into one box (for guys) and the odds into another (for girls). When people arrive, have them grab a piece of paper from their respective gender box and find their place at the table. That way no two guys will sit together.

If, before the dinner begins you find that you have spaces between people, just ask them to fill in the remaining gaps.

Good luck!