Question: An AI strategist deploys 5 identical drones and 3 distinct sensors in a Smart City network. How many ways can they be arranged in a line if all sensors must be placed consecutively?

Sun, 03 May 2026 21:11:45 +0000

**How Many Ways Can 5 Identical Drones and 3 Distinct Sensors Be Arranged in a Smart City Line—When Sensors Must Stay Together?** When cities increasingly integrate autonomous systems, understanding their physical deployment becomes critical. Imagine this: a network of five identical drones positioned alongside three distinct sensors—each with unique functions—lined in a city’s smart infrastructure. The question arises: In how many distinct ways can they be arranged, given that all sensors must stay grouped together? This isn’t just a puzzle—it reflects real-world planning challenges where sensor placement impacts system performance, data flow, and maintenance. This arrangement of drones and sensors involves principles of permutation and constraint logic. Reality matters here: drones symbolize mobile, responsive nodes; sensors often carry unique data or signal-processing roles. The challenge intensifies when those sensors need to remain together, forming a single block to simplify control or reduce complexity—a common design choice in smart city networks. **Why This Question Matters in the US Smart City Landscape**