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Find the coefficient of x^4 in the expansion of (4x-1)^5​

User Vetras
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1 Answer

7 votes

Answer:

The coeff. of x^4 in this expansion is -1280.

Explanation:

Start by writing down a Pascal's Triangle:

1

1 1

1 2 1

1 3 3 1

1 4 6 4 1

1 5 10 10 5 1

Example: write out (x + y)^3:

Use the 4th row of Pascal's Triangle: 1(x^3) + 3(x^2) + 3(x^1) + 1. Note how

the powers of x decrease from 3 through 2, 1 and 0.

Now let's apply this to the problem at hand. Use the coefficients in the 6th row of the Triangle, above:

1[4x]^5 + 5[4x]^4·(-1) + ....

The first term is 1[4x]^5, or [4x]^5, or 4^5·x^5, or 1024·x^5.

The second term is 5[4x]^4·(-1), or 5·4^4·(-1), or 5[256](-1) = -1280.

Thus, the coeff. of x^4 in this expansion is -1280.

User Joe Pitz
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6.6k points