In how many different ways can the letters of the word 'OPTICAL' be arranged so that the vowels always come together?

The word 'OPTICAL' contains 7 different letters.

When the vowels OIA are always together, they can be supposed to form one letter.

Then, we have to arrange the letters PTCL (OIA).

Now, 5 letters can be arranged in 5! = 120 ways.

The vowels (OIA) can be arranged among themselves in 3! = 6 ways.

∴ Required number of ways = (120 x 6) = 720.