Multinomial Theorem

The Multinomial Theorem states that

$(a_1+a_2+\cdots+a_k)^n=\sum_{\substack{j_1,j_2,\ldots,j_k \\ 0 \leq j_i \leq n \textrm{ for each } i \\ \textrm{and } j_1 + \ldots + j_k = n}}\binom{n}{j_1; j_2; \ldots ; j_k}a_1^{j_1}a_2^{j_2}\cdots a_k^{j_k}$

where $\binom{n}{j_1; j_2; \ldots ; j_k}$ is the multinomial coefficient $\binom{n}{j_1; j_2; \ldots ; j_k}=\dfrac{n!}{j_1!\cdot j_2!\cdots j_k!}$ .

Note that this is a direct generalization of the Binomial Theorem: when $k = 2$ it simplifies to $(a_1 + a_2)^n = \sum_{\substack{0\leq j_1, j_2 \leq n \\ j_1 + j_2 = n}} \binom{n}{j_1; j_2} a_1^{j_1}a_2^{j_2} = \sum_{j = 0}^n \binom{n}{j} a_1^j a_2^{n - j}.$