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The value fj is defined to be the number of ways to select j pieces for fruit from a set of two apples and three bananas. What is the generating function for the sequence {fj}?

a. 1+x^5 b. 1+ x + x^2 + x^3 + x^4 + x^5 c. 1+ 2x + 2x^2 + 2x^3 + 2x^4 + x^5
d. 1+ 2x + 3x^2 + 3x^3 + 2x^4 + x^5

User LeRoy
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Answer:

To find the generating function for the sequence {fj}, we need to use the formula for generating functions:

G(x) = ∑fj x^j

where G(x) is the generating function.

In this case, the value fj represents the number of ways to select j pieces of fruit from a set of two apples and three bananas. We can find fj using the binomial coefficient:

fj = C(2+j-1, j) + C(3+j-1, j)

where C(n, k) is the binomial coefficient of n choose k.

Substituting this into the formula for the generating function, we get:

G(x) = ∑[C(2+j-1, j) + C(3+j-1, j)] x^j

Expanding the summation and simplifying using the binomial identity, we get:

G(x) = ∑C(1+j, j) x^j

Using the formula for the generating function of the binomial coefficient, we get:

G(x) = (1-x)^(-2)

Expanding this using the binomial series, we get:

G(x) = 1 + 2x + 3x^2 + 4x^3 + 4x^4 + 2x^5 + ...

Therefore, the correct answer is d. 1 + 2x + 3x^2 + 3x^3 + 2x^4 + x^5.

User Avermaet
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