MODULE : 2.

3 EXERCISE PROB : 4 SOLUTION :

4.Prove that n 7 − 7n 5 + 14n 3 − 8n is divisible by 840 for all n∈ N.

Sol : Here n 7 − 7 n 5 + 14 n 3 − 8n
= n( n 6 − 7 n 4 + 14 n 2 − 8)
= n(n − 1)( n 5 + n 4 − 6 n 3 − 6 n 2 + 8n + 8)
{since 1 − 7 + 14 − 8 = 0, n − 1 is a factor}
{If f(x) = a x 4 + b x 3 + c x 2 + dx + e, sum of the coefficients is zero
i.e, a + b + c + d + e = 0 then (x − 1) is a factor of f(x) }
= n(n − 1){(n 5 + n 4 ) + ( − 6 n 3 − 6 n 2 ) + (8n + 8)}
= n(n − 1){ n 4 (n + 1) − 6 n 2 (n + 1) + 8(n + 1)}
= n(n − 1)(n + 1){ n 4 − 6 n 2 + 8}
= n(n − 1)(n + 1){ n 4 − 4 n 2 − 2 n 2 + 8}
= n(n − 1)(n + 1){ n 2 ( n 2 − 4) − 2( n 2 − 4)}
= n(n − 1)(n + 1){( n 2 − 4)( n 2 − 2)}
= n(n − 1)(n + 1)( n 2 − 2 2 )( n 2 − 2)
= n(n − 1)(n + 1)(n − 2)(n + 2)( n 2 − 2)
(n − 3)! 5!
= (n + 2)(n + 1)n(n − 1)(n − 2). .( n 2 − 2).
(n − 3)! 5!
{(n + 2)(n + 1)n(n − 1)(n − 2)(n − 3)!} 2
= ( n − 2).5!
(n − 3)!5!
(n + 2)!
= .( n 2 − 2).5!
(n − 3)!5!
(n + 2)!
= 5!.( n 2 − 2).
(n − 3)!5!
n+2
= 5!.( n 2 − 2). C5
= 120 × integer × integer
Now 840 = 7 × 120 and there is no factor common between 7 and 120.
∴ if we can prove that n 7 − 7 n 5 + 14 n 3 − 8n is divisible by 7 our problem
will be solved.
Let P(n) : n 7 − 7 n 5 + 14 n 3 − 8n = 7m , where m is an integer.
When n = 1,
P(1) : 1 7 − 7. 1 5 + 14. 1 3 − 8.1 = 1 − 7 + 14 − 8 = 0 = 7 × 0
∴ P(1) is true .
Let P(k) be true, i.e., k 7 − 7 k 5 + 14 k 3 − 8k = 7m......... 1
We shall now prove that P(k + 1) is true, whenever p(k) is true.
Now we have,
(k + 1) 7 − 7(k + 1) 5 + 14(k + 1) 3 − 8(k + 1)
7 7 7 7 7 7 7
= k 7 + C 1 k 6 + C 2 k 5 + C 3 k 4 + C 4 k 3 + C 5 k 2 + C 6k + C 7

5 5 5 5 5
− 7 k 5 + C 1 k 4 + C 2 k 3 + C 3 k 2 + C 4k + C 5
+ 14( k 3 + 3 k 2 + 3k + 1) − 8k − 8
= { k 7 − 7 k 5 + 14 k 3 − 8k} +
7 7 7 7 7 7 7
C 1 k 6 + C 2 k 5 + C 3 k 4 + C 4 k 3 + C 5 k 2 + C 6k + C 7
5 5 5 5 5
−7 C 1 k 4 + C 2 k 3 + C 3 k 2 + C 4 k + C 5 + 14(3 k 2 + 3k + 1) − 8
7 5 7 5 7 5
= 7m + 7 k 6 + 21 k 5 + C 3 − 7. C 1 k 4 + C 4 − 7. C 2 k 3 + C 5 − 7. C 3 + 42 k 2
7 5 7 5
+ C 6 − 7. C 4 + 42 k + C 7 − 7. C 5 + 14 − 8 {since from 1 }
= 7m + 7 k 6 + 21 k 5 + (35 − 35) k 4 + (35 − 70) k 3 + (21 − 70 + 42) k 2
+ (7 − 35 + 42)k + (1 − 7 + 14 − 8)
= 7m + 7 k 6 + 21 k 5 − 35 k 3 − 7 k 2 + 14k
= 7{m + k 6 + 3 k 5 − 5 k 3 − k 2 + 2k}
= 7d , where m + k 6 + 3 k 5 − 5 k 3 − k 2 + 2k = d
∴ P(k + 1) is true ;
Thus, P(k) is true ⇒ P(k + 1) is true
∴ by Principle of Mathematical Induction, P(n) is true for all n ∈ N.
∴ n 7 − 7 n 5 + 14 n 3 − 8n is divisible by 7 for all n ∈ N.
∴ n 7 − 7 n 5 + 14 n 3 − 8n is divisible by 120 as well as 7, i.e.,divisible by 840.