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Binomial Theorem: For any positive integer nn and any real numbers xx and y,y, (x+y)n=ni=0(ni)xniyi(x+y)n=ni=0(ni)xniyi

Proof:
This is a proof by induction.

Base case: When n=1,n=1, (x+y)1=x+y.(x+y)1=x+y. The sum is 1i=0(1i)xiy1i=(10)x10y0+(11)x11y1=x+y So, the theorem is true for n=1.

When n=2, (x+y)2=x2+2xy+y2. The sum is 2i=0(2i)xiy2i=(20)x20y0+(21)x21y1+(22)x22y2=x2+2xy+y2 So, the theorem is true for n=2.

Inductive step: Suppose the theorem is true for n=k. We will show it is true for n=k+1. (x+y)k+1=(x+y)(x+y)k=(x+y)ki=0(ki)xkiyi The last equality follows from the inductive hypothesis.

Next, distribute the sum over x+y. (x+y)ki=0(ki)xkiyi=ki=0(ki)xki+1yi+ki=0(ki)xkiyi+1=ki=0(ki)xki+1yi+k+1i=1(ki1)xki+1yi=xk+1+ki=1(ki)xki+1yi+ki=1(ki1)xki+1yi+yk+1=xk+1+ki=1[(ki)+(ki1)]xki+1yi+yk+1 Next, compute the sum of combinations as follows: (ki)+(ki1)=k!i!(ki)!+k!(i1)!(ki+1)!=(ki+1)k!i!(ki+1)!+ik!(i!(ki+1)!=(k+1)k!i!(ki+1)!=(k+1)!i!(k+1i)!=(k+1i) Using this identity, we have xk+1+ki=1[(ki)+(ki1)]xki+1yi+yk+1=xk+1+ki=1(k+1i)xk+1iyi+yk+1=k+1i=0(k+1i)xki+1yi which completes the proof.

Application: Use the binomial theorem to expand (2x+3)4.

Solution:
Use the binomial theorem with 3x in place of x and 3 in place of y. (2x+3)4=(40)(2x)4(3)0+(41)(2x)3(3)1+(42)(2x)2(3)2+(43)(2x)1(3)3+(44)(2x)0(3)4=(40)16x4+(41)24x3+(42)36x2+(43)18x+(44)81 One can use Pascal's triangle to find the values of the combinations:
Row 0 1 Row 1 1 1 Row 2 1 2 1 Row 3 1 3 3 1 Row 4 1 4 6 4 1

The combinations in row 4 are 1,4,6,4,1. (40)16x4+(41)24x3+(42)36x2+(43)18x+(44)81=(1)16x4+(4)24x3+(6)36x2+(4)18x+(1)81=16x4+96x3+216x2+72x+81

Example: There are 3 bags. Each bag has 2 red balls and 4 yellow balls. A ball is drawn from each bag. Answer the following:

Solution: The number of ways to draw balls from bags can be represented with a polynomial. Each bag has 2 red balls and 4 yellow balls, so the polynomial representing a bag is 2r+4y where r is for red balls and y is for yellow balls.

There are 3 bags, so the polynomial that represents one ball from each bag is (2r+4y)3. By the binomial theorem, (2r+4y)3=(30)(2r)3(4y)0+(31)(2r)2(4y)1+(32)(2r)1(4y)2+(33)(2r)0(4y)3=(1)(8r3)(1)+(3)(4r2)(4y)+(3)(2r)(16y2)+(1)(1)(64y3)=8r3+48r2y+96ry2+64y3 The coefficients tell the number of outcomes for each possible outcome. For example, 8r3 indicates there are 8 ways to draw 3 red balls. The answers to the questions are

Fill in the coefficients to (2x7)4.

 

What is the coefficient of x7y3 in (3x4y)10?