Binomial Theorem?

Algebra Level pending

A polynomial function f ( x ) f(x) of degree n 1 n-1 has zeros at 1 , 2 , 3 , . . . , n 1 1,2,3,...,n-1 where n n is a positive integer. If f ( n ) = n f(n)=n and f ( 2 n ) = 923780 f(2n)=923780 , find n n .


The answer is 10.

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1 solution

X X
Jun 29, 2020

The function f ( x ) f(x) has the form f ( x ) = c ( x 1 ) ( x 2 ) . . . ( x n + 1 ) f(x)=c(x-1)(x-2)...(x-n+1) , now we should solve for c c .

Plug in x = n x=n we obtain n = f ( n ) = c ( n 1 ) ( n 2 ) . . . ( 1 ) = c ( n 1 ) ! n=f(n)=c(n-1)(n-2)...(1)=c(n-1)! , so c = n ( n 1 ) ! c=\dfrac n{(n-1)!}

Now plug in x = 2 n x=2n and you can solve for n n directly:

923780 = f ( 2 n ) = c ( 2 n 1 ) ( 2 n 2 ) . . . ( n + 1 ) = n ( n 1 ) ! ( 2 n 1 ) ! n ! = n ( 2 n 1 n ) 923780=f(2n)=c(2n-1)(2n-2)...(n+1)=\dfrac n{(n-1)!}*\dfrac{(2n-1)!}{n!}=n*\dbinom{2n-1}{n} , so n = 10 n=10

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