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Binomial Theorem (1 Viewer)

FDownes

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I'm not sure how to approach this question, can anyone help me? It asks;

Simplify;
a) n - 1Ck - 1 + n - 1Ck

b) 10Ck ÷ 10Ck - 1
 
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vds700

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FDownes said:
I'm not sure how to approach this question, can anyone help me? It asks;

Simplify;
a) n - 1Ck - 1 + n - 1Ck

b) 10Ck ÷ 10Ck - 1
heres my solution
 

FDownes

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I got a similar answer for part a), but according to the textbook the answer should be nCk. The answer for part b) is definately correct though.
 

lyounamu

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FDownes said:
I got a similar answer for part a), but according to the textbook the answer should be nCk. The answer for part b) is definately correct though.
vds made a mistake in the fourth line. It should be just k not k!.

Then you get (n-1)!(k+n-k)/(n-k)!k! = n!/(n-k)!k! = nCk
 

vds700

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FDownes said:
I got a similar answer for part a), but according to the textbook the answer should be nCk. The answer for part b) is definately correct though.
part a) is actually the second pascal triangle relation, look in your textbook, should have a proof
 

vds700

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lyounamu said:
vds made a mistake in the fourth line. It should be just k not k!.

Then you get (n-1)!(k+n-k)/(n-k)!k! = n!/(n-k)!k! = nCk
oops sorry- good work namu
 

lyounamu

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vds700 said:
got a q i need help with, part b).

Thanks
bi) When x=-1,

(1+-1)^n = nCo + nC1 . (-1)^1 + ... + nC(n-1) . (-1)^(n-1) + nCn . (-1)^n
0 = nCo - nC1 + nC2 + ... - nC(n-1) + nCn
Move all the minus things to the other side so you get:
nC1 + nC3 + .... + nC(n-1) = nCo + nC2 + nC4 + ...+ nCn
So P=Q where P is nC1 + nC3+...+nC(n-1) and Q = nC0 + nC2 + ... +nCn
Now when x = 1,

(1+1)^n = nCo + nC1 + nC2+ nC3 +...+nCn

2^n = nCo + nC1 + nC2 + nC3 +... +nCn

So 2^n = 2P since ( P = Q)

So 2^n/2 = P
= nC1 + nC3 + .... + nC(n-1)

ii) (1+x)^n = nC0 + nC1 . x + ... + nCn . x^n
Differentiate both sides:

n(1+x)^n-1 = nC1 + 2 nC2 . x + ... + n nCn . x^n-1
When x = 1, n2^(n-1) = nC1 + 2nC2 + ...n . nCn = the result given.

iii) I don't know really know at this stage but I will try,
 
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FDownes

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Thanks, guys. :) Got time for another?

The expansion of (1 + ax)n is given by 1 - 24x + 252x2 - ... . Find values for a and n.
 

lyounamu

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FDownes said:
Thanks, guys. :) Got time for another?

The expansion of (1 + ax)n is given by 1 - 24x + 252x2 - ... . Find values for a and n.
x: nC1 . 1^(n-1) . (ax)^1 = -24x
So anx = -24x
an = -24 ...(1)

x^2: nC2 . 1^(n-2) . (ax)^2 = nC2 . a^2 . x^2 = 252x^2
So nC2 . a^2 = 252 ...(2)

From (1), a^2n^2 = 576

Divide that by (2) you get:

16/7 = n^2/nC2

After simplifying you get: n/(n-1) = 8/7
So n = 8
So a = -3
 

FDownes

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Ah, that makes sense. I have no idea why I didn't realise that nC1 = n, and that 1n - 1 = 1. Thanks.
 

vds700

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lyounamu said:
bi) When x=-1,

(1+-1)^n = nCo + nC1 . (-1)^1 + ... + nC(n-1) . (-1)^(n-1) + nCn . (-1)^n
0 = nCo - nC1 + nC2 + ... - nC(n-1) + nCn
Move all the minus things to the other side so you get:
nC1 + nC3 + .... + nC(n-1) = nCo + nC2 + nC4 + ...+ nCn
So P=Q where P is nC1 + nC3+...+nC(n-1) and Q = nC0 + nC2 + ... +nCn
Now when x = 1,

(1+1)^n = nCo + nC1 + nC2+ nC3 +...+nCn

2^n = nCo + nC1 + nC2 + nC3 +... +nCn

So 2^n = 2P since ( P = Q)

So 2^n/2 = P
= nC1 + nC3 + .... + nC(n-1)

ii) (1+x)^n = nC0 + nC1 . x + ... + nCn . x^n
Differentiate both sides:

n(1+x)^n-1 = nC1 + 2 nC2 . x + ... + n nCn . x^n-1
When x = 1, n2^(n-1) = nC1 + 2nC2 + ...n . nCn = the result given.

iii) I don't know really know at this stage but I will try,
thanks heaps man. I'll see if i can get the solution off mr hamam on monday for part (iii)
 

lyounamu

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vds700 said:
thanks heaps man. I'll see if i can get the solution off mr hamam on monday for part (iii)
Yeah, he should have one. I don't get part (iii). I tried to relate that one to the part ii but I failed. I better look at that question closely.
 

vds700

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lyounamu said:
Yeah, he should have one. I don't get part (iii). I tried to relate that one to the part ii but I failed. I better look at that question closely.
I think i might have figured (iii) out. You expand it so you get

sum(0 -> n ) (r+1)nCr= sum(0 -> n) r nCr + nCr = n.2^(n-1) +2^n.

And can someone have a look at the last question on that page please. There must be a better way to do it than counting, which i really can't be bothered doing.
 

lolokay

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vds700 said:
And can someone have a look at the last question on that page please. There must be a better way to do it than counting, which i really can't be bothered doing.
it's the number of ways of choosing 2 from each set of parallel lines, isn't it?
6C2 * 9C2 = 540
 

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