Negative factorials

0 ! ( 6 ) ! = ? 0!- (-6)! =?

Clarification: ! denotes the factorial function.

-721 Not defined -719 -720

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2 solutions

Ashish Menon
Jun 2, 2016

8 ! = 8 × 7 × 6 × 5 × 4 × 3 × 2 × 1 6 ! = 6 × 5 × 4 × 3 × 2 × 1 4 ! = 4 × 3 × 2 × 1 8! = 8×7×6×5×4×3×2×1\\ 6!= 6×5×4×3×2×1\\ 4! = 4×3×2×1
So, we multiply till the first natural number 1 1 .

But 6 -6 itself is not a natural number. So, we cant multiply anything with it, hence it is not - defined.
So, 0 ! unfefined 0! - \text{unfefined} = 1 undefined = undefined 1-\text{undefined} = \color{#69047E}{\boxed{\text{undefined}}} .


Alternatively:-
We know that one factorial can be expressed in terms of another factorial of a greater number.
For example:- 7 ! = 8 ! 8 7! = \dfrac{8!}{8} .

So, ( 6 ) ! (-6)! = ( 5 ) ! ( 5 ) = ( 4 ) ! 4 × 5 = ( 3 ) ! 3 × 4 × 5 = ( 2 ) ! 2 × 3 × 4 × 5 = ( 1 ) ! 1 × 2 × 3 × 4 × 5 = 0 ! 0 × 1 × 2 × 3 × 4 × 5 = 1 0 = undefined \dfrac{(-5)!}{(-5)}\\ = \dfrac{(-4)!}{-4 × -5}\\ = \dfrac{(-3)!}{-3 × -4 × -5}\\ = \dfrac{(-2)!}{-2 × -3 × -4 × -5}\\ = \dfrac{(-1)!}{-1 × -2 × -3 × -4 × -5}\\ = \dfrac{0!}{0 × -1 × -2 × -3 × -4 × -5}\\ = \dfrac{1}{0}\\ = \text{undefined}

So, 0 ! ( 6 ) ! = 1 undefined = undefined 0! - (-6)! = 1 - \text{undefined} = \color{#69047E}{\boxed{\text{undefined}}} .

*spelling mistake

alex wang - 4 years, 7 months ago
Mehul Arora
Apr 8, 2016

The factorial function is not defined for negative integers. Thus the given expression is not defined.

Prove that factorial isn't defined for negative integers :3

Aditya Kumar - 5 years, 2 months ago

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Prove that you are not an alien. :3

Sandeep Bhardwaj - 5 years, 2 months ago

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Alien!? .

Aditya Kumar - 5 years, 2 months ago

Why don't you try? I'll give you a hint. Integrals

:P

Mehul Arora - 5 years, 2 months ago

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I know that. I wanted u to add the proof in the answer :3

Aditya Kumar - 5 years, 2 months ago

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@Aditya Kumar You're a mod now (congrats), why don't you edit it? :P I give you permission to do so.

Mehul Arora - 5 years, 2 months ago

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@Mehul Arora ------------__------------ u can as well edit it. :3

Aditya Kumar - 5 years, 2 months ago

Not defined since, Gamma function is not defined for negative numbers.

Viki Zeta - 5 years ago

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