counting

There are 4 slots for math books    12 ways to place them   (4 P 2)

    for each of those 12 placements the other books can be arranged  4 * 3 * 2 * 1 = 24 ways

24 * 12 = 288 ways

I was going to say that there are 4 choices for one end then 3 for the other end then 4! for the rest (assuming all the books are different)

So that is 4*3*4! = 12*24 = 288

Just as EP found