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I think of 0! as being 'defined' as 1, rather than it being able to be proved that it is 1.
I think of 0!=1 as being true as the factorial function is 'multiplicative' in the sense that it is all about multiplication, and 1 is defined as the identity element of multiplication.
Easy Math Editor
This discussion board is a place to discuss our Daily Challenges and the math and science related to those challenges. Explanations are more than just a solution — they should explain the steps and thinking strategies that you used to obtain the solution. Comments should further the discussion of math and science.
When posting on Brilliant:
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Comments
(n−1)!=nn!
Putting n=1
(1−1)!=11!
0!=1 [Proved]
Another method of Proving this can be:
We know that the number of ways of selecting r objects from n distinct objects (n≥r) are (rn)=r!(n−r)!n!.
We also know that the number of ways of choosing n objects from n objects is of course 1.
∴ n!(n−n)!n!=0!1=1 ⟹0!=1
I think of 0! as being 'defined' as 1, rather than it being able to be proved that it is 1.
I think of 0!=1 as being true as the factorial function is 'multiplicative' in the sense that it is all about multiplication, and 1 is defined as the identity element of multiplication.