I don't think so!

What is the coefficient of x 17 x^{17} in the expansion of ( 1 + x 5 + x 7 ) 20 (1+x^5+x^7)^{20} ?

Enter 1234 if you come to the conclusion that no such coefficient exists.


The answer is 3420.

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2 solutions

Sabhrant Sachan
May 8, 2016

Relevant wiki: Multinomial Theorem

From a Property of Binomial Thm. Coefficient of a term in ( a + b + c + d + . . . ) n is : n ! n 1 ! × n 2 ! × n 3 ! × n 4 ! × . . . . × a n 1 × b n 2 × c n 3 × d n 4 × . . . . Where n 1 + n 2 + n 3 + n 4 + = n and 0 n 1 , n 2 , n 3 , n 4 , . . . n In this case 20 ! n 1 ! × n 2 ! × n 3 ! × 1 n 1 × x 5 n 2 × x 7 n 3 n 1 + n 2 + n 3 = 20 and 2 n 2 + 7 n 3 = 17 (given) Possible values of n 2 = 2 and n 1 = 1 20 ! 17 ! × 2 ! × 1 ! × 1 19 × x 10 × x 7 20 × 19 × 18 2 x 10 + 7 co-efficient of x 17 = 3420 \text {From a Property of Binomial Thm.} \\ \text{Coefficient of a term in } (a+b+c+d+...)^n \text { is :} \\ \dfrac{n!}{{n_1!}\times{n_2!}\times{n_3!}\times{n_4!}\times{....}}\times{a^{n_1}}\times{b^{n_2}}\times{c^{n_3}}\times{d^{n_4}\times{....}} \\ \text{Where } n_1+n_2+n_3+n_4+\cdots=n \text{ and } 0\le{n_1,n_2,n_3,n_4,...}\le{n}\\ \text{In this case } \dfrac{20!}{ {n_1!}\times{n_2!}\times{n_3!}}\times{1^{n_1}}\times{x^{5n_2}}\times{x^{7n_3}} \\n_1+n_2+n_3=20 \text{ and } 2n_2+7n_3=17 \text{ (given)} \\ \text{Possible values of }n_2=2\text{ and }n_1=1 \\ \implies \dfrac{20!}{ {17!}\times{2!}\times{1!}}\times{1^{19}}\times{x^{10}}\times{x^7} \\ \implies \dfrac{20\times19\times18}{2}x^{10+7} \\ \text{co-efficient of }x^{17} = \color{#3D99F6}{\boxed{3420}}

Easy peasy was also a good solution though. ;)

Abhay Tiwari - 5 years, 1 month ago
Yasin Tarabar
May 8, 2016

We're looking for the coefficient of x^17 in (1 + x^5 + x^7)^20.

The only way to make x^17 from 1, x^5, and x^7 is (x^5)(x^5)(x^7), so out of the 20 (1 + x^5 + x^7)s, we have to pick 2 to get the x^5 from, and 1 to get the x^7 from. 20c2 = 190. 18 choices for the x^7 makes the total combinations 190*18 = x^17 will be made 3420 different ways, making the coefficient of x^17 3420 .

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