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Difference between revisions of "2008 AMC 12A Problems/Problem 19"

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Since there are <math>15</math> terms in <math>A</math>, there are <math>15^2 = 225</math> ways to choose one term from each <math>A</math>. The product of the selected terms is <math>x^n</math> for some integer <math>n</math> between <math>0</math> and <math>28</math> inclusive. For each <math>n \neq 0</math>, there is one and only one <math>x^{28 - n}</math> in <math>B</math>. For example, if I choose <math>x^2</math> from <math>A</math> , then there is exactly one power of <math>x</math> in <math>B</math> that I can choose; in this case, it would be <math>x^{24}</math>. Since there is only one way to choose one term from each <math>A</math> to get a product of <math>x^0</math>, there are <math>225 - 1 = 224</math> ways to choose one term from each <math>A</math> and one term from <math>B</math> to get a product of <math>x^{28}</math>. Thus the coefficient of the <math>x^{28}</math> term is <math>224 \Rightarrow C</math>.
 
Since there are <math>15</math> terms in <math>A</math>, there are <math>15^2 = 225</math> ways to choose one term from each <math>A</math>. The product of the selected terms is <math>x^n</math> for some integer <math>n</math> between <math>0</math> and <math>28</math> inclusive. For each <math>n \neq 0</math>, there is one and only one <math>x^{28 - n}</math> in <math>B</math>. For example, if I choose <math>x^2</math> from <math>A</math> , then there is exactly one power of <math>x</math> in <math>B</math> that I can choose; in this case, it would be <math>x^{24}</math>. Since there is only one way to choose one term from each <math>A</math> to get a product of <math>x^0</math>, there are <math>225 - 1 = 224</math> ways to choose one term from each <math>A</math> and one term from <math>B</math> to get a product of <math>x^{28}</math>. Thus the coefficient of the <math>x^{28}</math> term is <math>224 \Rightarrow C</math>.
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== Solution 2 ==
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Let <math>P(x) = \left(1 + x + x^2 + \cdots + x^{14}\right)^2 = a_0 + a_1x + a_2x^2 + \cdots + a_{28}x^{28}</math>. Then the <math>x^{28}</math> term from the product in question <math>\left(1 + x + x^2 + \cdots + x^{27}\right)(a_0 + a_1x + a_2x^2 + \cdots + a_{28}x^{28})</math> is
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<math>1a_{28}x^{28} + xa_{27}x^{27} + x^2a_{26}x^{26} + \cdots + x^{27}a_1x = \left(a_1 + a_2 + \cdots a_{28}\right)x^{28}</math>
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So we are trying to find the sum of the coefficients of <math>P(x)</math> minus <math>a_0</math>. Since the constant term <math>a_0</math> in <math>P(x)</math> (when expanded) is <math>1</math>, and the sum of the coefficients of <math>P(x)</math> is <math>P(1)</math>, we find the answer to be
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<math>P(1) - a_0
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= \left(1 + 1 + 1^2 + \cdots 1^{14}\right)^2 - 1
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= 15^2 - 1
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= 224 \rightarrow C</math>
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==See Also==
 
==See Also==

Revision as of 05:18, 15 January 2012

Problem

In the expansion of \[\left(1 + x + x^2 + \cdots + x^{27}\right)\left(1 + x + x^2 + \cdots + x^{14}\right)^2,\] what is the coefficient of $x^{28}$?

$\mathrm{(A)}\ 195\qquad\mathrm{(B)}\ 196\qquad\mathrm{(C)}\ 224\qquad\mathrm{(D)}\ 378\qquad\mathrm{(E)}\ 405$

Solution

Let $A = \left(1 + x + x^2 + \cdots + x^{14}\right)$ and $B = \left(1 + x + x^2 + \cdots + x^{27}\right)$. We are expanding $A \cdot A \cdot B$.

Since there are $15$ terms in $A$, there are $15^2 = 225$ ways to choose one term from each $A$. The product of the selected terms is $x^n$ for some integer $n$ between $0$ and $28$ inclusive. For each $n \neq 0$, there is one and only one $x^{28 - n}$ in $B$. For example, if I choose $x^2$ from $A$ , then there is exactly one power of $x$ in $B$ that I can choose; in this case, it would be $x^{24}$. Since there is only one way to choose one term from each $A$ to get a product of $x^0$, there are $225 - 1 = 224$ ways to choose one term from each $A$ and one term from $B$ to get a product of $x^{28}$. Thus the coefficient of the $x^{28}$ term is $224 \Rightarrow C$.

Solution 2

Let $P(x) = \left(1 + x + x^2 + \cdots + x^{14}\right)^2 = a_0 + a_1x + a_2x^2 + \cdots + a_{28}x^{28}$. Then the $x^{28}$ term from the product in question $\left(1 + x + x^2 + \cdots + x^{27}\right)(a_0 + a_1x + a_2x^2 + \cdots + a_{28}x^{28})$ is

$1a_{28}x^{28} + xa_{27}x^{27} + x^2a_{26}x^{26} + \cdots + x^{27}a_1x = \left(a_1 + a_2 + \cdots a_{28}\right)x^{28}$

So we are trying to find the sum of the coefficients of $P(x)$ minus $a_0$. Since the constant term $a_0$ in $P(x)$ (when expanded) is $1$, and the sum of the coefficients of $P(x)$ is $P(1)$, we find the answer to be $P(1) - a_0 = \left(1 + 1 + 1^2 + \cdots 1^{14}\right)^2 - 1 = 15^2 - 1 = 224 \rightarrow C$


See Also

2008 AMC 12A (Problems • Answer Key • Resources)
Preceded by
Problem 18 		Followed by
Problem 20
1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25
All AMC 12 Problems and Solutions
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