Final answer:
The student's question deals with a linear arrangement where Tom cannot sit directly before or after Pat. In a seating scenario, at least one seat or person must be placed between Tom and Pat to satisfy the given condition. An example would be placing them with a buffer seat or person in between to maintain the required separation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question relates to a linear arrangement scenario where Tom cannot sit immediately before or after Pat. To represent this situation accurately, we need to consider the seating arrangement such that there is at least one person or an empty seat between Tom and Pat. This ensures that the condition of Tom not being able to sit immediately before or after Pat is met.
Let's consider a simple example where there are five seats in a row. If Pat sits in the first seat, Tom can sit in any of the remaining seats except the second one. Similarly, if Pat is seated in the last seat, Tom can sit in any of the first three seats but not the fourth. This pattern ensures that Tom is neither immediately before nor immediately after Pat.
In essence, Tom's and Pat's placement within the linear arrangement must be such that there is a buffer between them.