Problem: In how many ways can the sequence $1,2,3,4,5$ be rearranged so that no three consecutive terms are increasing and no three consecutive terms are decreasing?
$\textbf{(A)} ~10\qquad\textbf{(B)} ~18\qquad\textbf{(C)} ~24 \qquad\textbf{(D)} ~32 \qquad\textbf{(E)} ~44$

Solution: By symmetry with respect to $3,$ note that $(x_1,x_2,x_3,x_4,x_5)$ is a valid sequence if and only if $(6-x_1,6-x_2,6-x_3,6-x_4,6-x_5)$ is a valid sequence. We enumerate the valid sequences that start with $1,2,31,$ or $32,$ as shown below:
[asy] /* Made by MRENTHUSIASM */ size(16cm);  draw((0.25,0)--(1.75,3),red,EndArrow); draw((0.25,0)--(1.75,0),red,EndArrow); draw((0.25,0)--(1.75,-3),red,EndArrow); draw((2.25,3)--(3.75,3),red,EndArrow); draw((2.25,0)--(3.75,0.75),red,EndArrow); draw((2.25,0)--(3.75,-0.75),red,EndArrow); draw((2.25,-3)--(3.75,-2.25),red,EndArrow); draw((2.25,-3)--(3.75,-3.75),red,EndArrow); draw((4.25,3)--(5.75,3),red,EndArrow); draw((4.25,0.75)--(5.75,0.75),red,EndArrow); draw((4.25,-0.75)--(5.75,-0.75),red,EndArrow); draw((4.25,-2.25)--(5.75,-2.25),red,EndArrow); draw((4.25,-3.75)--(5.75,-3.75),red,EndArrow); draw((6.25,3)--(7.75,3),red,EndArrow); draw((6.25,0.75)--(7.75,0.75),red,EndArrow); draw((6.25,-0.75)--(7.75,-0.75),red,EndArrow); draw((6.25,-2.25)--(7.75,-2.25),red,EndArrow); draw((6.25,-3.75)--(7.75,-3.75),red,EndArrow);  label("$1$",(0,0)); label("$3$",(2,3)); label("$2$",(4,3)); label("$5$",(6,3)); label("$4$",(8,3));  label("$4$",(2,0)); label("$2$",(4,0.75)); label("$5$",(6,0.75)); label("$3$",(8,0.75)); label("$3$",(4,-0.75)); label("$5$",(6,-0.75)); label("$2$",(8,-0.75));  label("$5$",(2,-3)); label("$2$",(4,-2.25)); label("$4$",(6,-2.25)); label("$3$",(8,-2.25)); label("$3$",(4,-3.75)); label("$4$",(6,-3.75)); label("$2$",(8,-3.75));  draw((12.75,0)--(14.25,4.5),red,EndArrow); draw((12.75,0)--(14.25,1.5),red,EndArrow); draw((12.75,0)--(14.25,-1.5),red,EndArrow); draw((12.75,0)--(14.25,-4.5),red,EndArrow); draw((14.75,4.5)--(16.25,5.25),red,EndArrow); draw((14.75,4.5)--(16.25,3.75),red,EndArrow); draw((14.75,1.5)--(16.25,1.5),red,EndArrow); draw((14.75,-1.5)--(16.25,-0.75),red,EndArrow); draw((14.75,-1.5)--(16.25,-2.25),red,EndArrow); draw((14.75,-4.5)--(16.25,-3.75),red,EndArrow); draw((14.75,-4.5)--(16.25,-5.25),red,EndArrow); draw((16.75,5.25)--(18.25,5.25),red,EndArrow); draw((16.75,3.75)--(18.25,3.75),red,EndArrow); draw((16.75,1.5)--(18.25,1.5),red,EndArrow); draw((16.75,-0.75)--(18.25,-0.75),red,EndArrow); draw((16.75,-2.25)--(18.25,-2.25),red,EndArrow); draw((16.75,-3.75)--(18.25,-3.75),red,EndArrow); draw((16.75,-5.25)--(18.25,-5.25),red,EndArrow); draw((18.75,5.25)--(20.25,5.25),red,EndArrow); draw((18.75,3.75)--(20.25,3.75),red,EndArrow); draw((18.75,1.5)--(20.25,1.5),red,EndArrow); draw((18.75,-0.75)--(20.25,-0.75),red,EndArrow); draw((18.75,-2.25)--(20.25,-2.25),red,EndArrow); draw((18.75,-3.75)--(20.25,-3.75),red,EndArrow); draw((18.75,-5.25)--(20.25,-5.25),red,EndArrow);  label("$2$",(12.5,0)); label("$1$",(14.5,4.5)); label("$3$",(14.5,1.5)); label("$4$",(14.5,-1.5)); label("$5$",(14.5,-4.5));  label("$4$",(16.5,5.25)); label("$5$",(16.5,3.75)); label("$1$",(16.5,1.5)); label("$1$",(16.5,-0.75)); label("$3$",(16.5,-2.25)); label("$1$",(16.5,-3.75)); label("$3$",(16.5,-5.25));  label("$3$",(18.5,5.25)); label("$3$",(18.5,3.75)); label("$5$",(18.5,1.5)); label("$5$",(18.5,-0.75)); label("$5$",(18.5,-2.25)); label("$4$",(18.5,-3.75)); label("$4$",(18.5,-5.25));  label("$5$",(20.5,5.25)); label("$4$",(20.5,3.75)); label("$4$",(20.5,1.5)); label("$3$",(20.5,-0.75)); label("$1$",(20.5,-2.25)); label("$3$",(20.5,-3.75)); label("$1$",(20.5,-5.25));  draw((25.25,0)--(26.75,1.5),red,EndArrow); draw((25.25,0)--(26.75,-1.5),red,EndArrow); draw((27.25,1.5)--(28.75,2.25),red,EndArrow); draw((27.25,1.5)--(28.75,0.75),red,EndArrow); draw((27.25,-1.5)--(28.75,-0.75),red,EndArrow); draw((27.25,-1.5)--(28.75,-2.25),red,EndArrow); draw((29.25,2.25)--(30.75,2.25),red,EndArrow); draw((29.25,0.75)--(30.75,0.75),red,EndArrow); draw((29.25,-0.75)--(30.75,-0.75),red,EndArrow); draw((29.25,-2.25)--(30.75,-2.25),red,EndArrow); draw((31.25,2.25)--(32.75,2.25),red,EndArrow); draw((31.25,0.75)--(32.75,0.75),red,EndArrow); draw((31.25,-0.75)--(32.75,-0.75),red,EndArrow); draw((31.25,-2.25)--(32.75,-2.25),red,EndArrow);  label("$3$",(25,0)); label("$1$",(27,1.5)); label("$2$",(27,-1.5));  label("$4$",(29,2.25)); label("$5$",(29,0.75)); label("$4$",(29,-0.75)); label("$5$",(29,-2.25));  label("$2$",(31,2.25)); label("$2$",(31,0.75)); label("$1$",(31,-0.75)); label("$1$",(31,-2.25));  label("$5$",(33,2.25)); label("$4$",(33,0.75)); label("$5$",(33,-0.75)); label("$4$",(33,-2.25)); [/asy]
There are $16$ valid sequences that start with $1,2,31,$ or $32.$ By symmetry, there are $16$ valid sequences that start with $5,4,35,$ or $34.$ So, the answer is $16+16=\boxed{32}.$

Answer: D 32