The University of Hong Kong

Study Notes

Mathematics Notes

Last Update: July 8, 2015

Prepared by: Yip Kam Kai Wilson (3035155933)

1
1 Simple Identities
n
1 xn`1
1.1 xk
k0
1x

Proof.
an`1 xn`1 pa xqpan ` an1 x ` ` xn q. (1)
Then, by putting a 1, we have
n
1 xn`1
xk . (2)
k0
1x

Remark.
(a) Similarly, if we use a2n`1 ` x2n`1 pa ` xqpa2n a2n1 x ` ` x2n q , we have
2n
1 ` x2n`1
pxqk . (3)
k0
1`x

Note that a2n pa ` bqpa2n1 a2n2 b ` a2n3 b2 ` b2n1 q.

(b) If |x| 1, we have

8
1
xk . (4)
k0
1x

(c) Differentiate both sides of p4q w.r.t. x, we have

n
1
kxk1 (5)
k1
p1 xq2

n
1
1.2 k 2 12 ` 22 ` 32 ` ` n2 npn ` 1qp2n ` 1q
k1
6

Proof.
pn ` 1 1q3 n3 pn ` 1q3 3pn ` 1q2 ` 3pn ` 1q 1 (6)
pn ` 1q3 n3 3pn ` 1q2 3pn ` 1q ` 1 (7)
n
n
n

3 3 3 2

n k pk 1q 3 k 3 k `n (8)
k1 k1 k1
n

2 npn ` 1q
3
3 k n `3 n (9)
k1
2
n
1 1
k 2 12 ` 22 ` 32 ` ` n2 p2n3 ` 3n2 ` nq npn ` 1qp2n ` 1q (10)
k1
6 6

2
2 Binomial Theorem
2.1 Basic Properties
(a) Ckn Cnk
n (b) n C n`1
Ckn ` Ck`1 (c) n1
k Ckn n Ck1
k`1

Proof.
n n! n!
(a) Cnk Ckn .
pn kq! rn pn kqs! k! pn kq!

n n n! 1 1 pn ` 1q! n`1
(b) Ck ` Ck`1 ` Ck`1 .
k! pn k 1q! n k k ` 1 pk ` 1q! pn kq!
n pn 1q! n n1
(c) Ckn Ck1
k pk 1q! pn kq! k

n

2.2 (a) Ckn 2n (b) C0n ` C2n ` C4n ` C1n ` C3n ` C5n ` 2n1
k0

Proof.
Consider p1 ` xqn C0n ` C1n x ` C1n x2 ` ` Cnn xn
(a) put x 1, we have
n

2n C0n ` C1n ` C2n ` ` Cnn Ckn
k0

(b) put x 1, we have

0 C0n ` p1q C1n ` p1q2 C2n ` ` p1qn Cnn
Thus, by (a), we have C0n ` C2n ` C4n ` C1n ` C3n ` C5n ` 2n1

2.3 More Identities

(a) Cn2n pC0n q2 ` pC1n q2 ` pC2n q2 ` ` pCnn q2
n`m`1
(b) Cnn ` Cnn`1 ` ` Cnn`m Cn`1
k

(c) rpr 1qpr 2qpr 3q 4! C5k`1
r0

Proof.
(a) By compare coefficient.
(b) By M.I.
m`4
m`4

(c) rpr 1qpr 2qpr 3q 4! C4r 4! C5m`5 (by (b))
r4 r4
k

rpr 1qpr 2qpr 3q 4! C5k`1
r0