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Difference between revisions of "1974 AHSME Problems/Problem 3"

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<cmath> (1+2x-x^2)(1+2x-x^2)(1+2x-x^2)(1+2x-x^2) </cmath>
 
<cmath> (1+2x-x^2)(1+2x-x^2)(1+2x-x^2)(1+2x-x^2) </cmath>
  
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We can now see that the only way to get an <math> x^7 </math> is by taking three <math> -x^2 </math> and one <math> 2x </math>. There are <math> \binom{4}{1}=4 </math> way to pick which term the <math> 2x </math> comes from, and the coefficient of each one is <math> (-1)^3(2)=-2 </math>. Therefore, the coefficient of <math> x^7 </math> is <math> (4)(-2)=-8, \boxed{\text{A}} </math>.
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We can now see that the only way to get an <math> x^7 </math> is by taking three <math> -x^2 </math> and one <math> 2x </math>. There are <math> \binom{4}{1}=4 </math> ways to pick which term the <math> 2x </math> comes from, and the coefficient of each one is <math> (-1)^3(2)=-2 </math>. Therefore, the coefficient of <math> x^7 </math> is <math> (4)(-2)=-8, \boxed{\text{A}} </math>.
  
 
==See Also==
 
==See Also==
 
{{AHSME box|year=1974|num-b=2|num-a=4}}
 
{{AHSME box|year=1974|num-b=2|num-a=4}}
 
[[Category:Introductory Combinatorics Problems]]
 
[[Category:Introductory Combinatorics Problems]]
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{{MAA Notice}}

Latest revision as of 19:53, 5 October 2020

Problem

The coefficient of $x^7$ in the polynomial expansion of

\[(1+2x-x^2)^4\]

is

$\mathrm{(A)\ } -8 \qquad \mathrm{(B) \ }12 \qquad \mathrm{(C) \ } 6 \qquad \mathrm{(D) \ } -12 \qquad \mathrm{(E) \ }\text{none of these}$

Solution

Let's write out the multiplication, so that it becomes easier to see.

\[(1+2x-x^2)(1+2x-x^2)(1+2x-x^2)(1+2x-x^2)\]

We can now see that the only way to get an $x^7$ is by taking three $-x^2$ and one $2x$. There are $\binom{4}{1}=4$ ways to pick which term the $2x$ comes from, and the coefficient of each one is $(-1)^3(2)=-2$. Therefore, the coefficient of $x^7$ is $(4)(-2)=-8, \boxed{\text{A}}$.

See Also

1974 AHSME (Problems • Answer Key • Resources)
Preceded by
Problem 2 		Followed by
Problem 4
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 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30
All AHSME Problems and Solutions

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