Exercise 4B

1 a 4! = 4 × 3 × 2 × 1
= 24

b 9! = 9 × 8 × 7 × 6 × 5 × 4 × 3 × 2 × 1
= 362 880

10! 10 × 9 × 8 × 7 × 6 × 5 × 4 × 3 × 2 × 1
c =
7! 7 × 6 × 5 × 4 × 3 × 2 ×1
3 628 800
= or 10 × 9 × 8 since the 7! on numerator and denominator cancel
5040

= 720

15! 15 × 14 × 13 × 12 × 11 × 10 × 9 × 8 × 7 × 6 × 5 × 4 × 3 × 2 × 1
d =
13! 13 × 12 × 11 × 10 × 9 × 8 × 7 × 6 × 5 × 4 × 3 × 2 × 1
1 307 674 368 000
= or 15 × 14 because the 13! cancels
6 227 020 800
= 210

 4 4!
2 a  =
 2  2!2!
4 × 3 × 2 ×1
=
2 ×1× 2 ×1
4×3
=
2 ×1
=6

6 6!
b  =
 4  4!2!
6 × 5 × 4 × 3 × 2 ×1
=
4 × 3 × 2 ×1× 2 ×1
6×5
=
2 ×1
= 15

6!
c C3 =
6

3!3!
6 × 5 × 4 × 3 × 2 ×1
=
3 × 2 ×1× 3 × 2 ×1
6×5× 4
=
3 × 2 ×1
= 20

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 5 5!
2 d  =
 4  4!1!
5 × 4 × 3 × 2 ×1
=
4 × 3 × 2 ×1×1
5
=
1
=5

10!
e 10
C8 =
8!2!
10 × 9 × 8 × 7 × 6 × 5 × 4 × 3 × 2 × 1
=
8 × 7 × 6 × 5 × 4 × 3 × 2 ×1× 2 ×1
10 × 9
=
2 ×1
= 45

9 9!
f   =
 5  5!4!
9 × 8 × 7 × 6 × 5 × 4 × 3 × 2 ×1
=
5 × 4 × 3 × 2 ×1× 4 × 3 × 2 ×1
9×8× 7× 6
=
4 × 3 × 2 ×1
= 126

15 
3 a   = 5005
6

b 10
C7 = 120

 20 
c   = 184 756
 10 

 20 
d   = 1140
 17 

e 14
C9 = 2002

f 18
C5 = 8568

4 The r th entry in the nth row of Pascal's triangle is given by Cr −1 .

n −1

a 5 −1
C2−1 = 4C1

b 6 −1
C3−1 = 5C2

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4 c = 6C2

d C4−1 = 6C3
7 −1

5 5th number on the 12th row = C5−1 = 11C4 = 330

12 −1

6 a 11−1
C4−1 = 10C3 = 120
11−1
C5−1 = 10C4 = 210

b The coefficients are 1, 10, 45, 120, 210, ...

The term in x3 is 120(1)7(2x)3 = 960x3.
Coefficient = 960

7 a 14 −1
C4−1 = 13C3 = 286
14 −1
C5−1 = 13C4 = 715

b The coefficients are 1, 13, 78, 286, 715, ...

The term in x4 is 715(1)9(3x)4 = 57 915x4.
Coefficient = 57 915

 20  20 20
8   0.5 = C10 0.5
20

 10 
= 184 756 × 0.520
= 0.1762 (to 4 s.f.)
Whilst this seems a low probability, there is more chance of the coin landing on 10 heads than any
other number of heads.

n! n × (n − 1) × (n − 2) × . . . × 2 × 1
9=
a nC1 = = n
1!(n − 1)! 1 × (n − 1) × (n − 2) × (n − 3) × . . . × 2 × 1

n! n × (n − 1) × (n − 2) × . . . × 2 × 1 n(n − 1)
b nC 2
= = =
2!(n − 2)! 1 × 2 × (n − 2) × (n − 3) × . . . × 2 × 1 2

 50  50!
10  =
 13  13!a !
 50  50!
 =
 13  13!37!
a = 37

 35  35!
11  =
 p  p !18!
 35  35!
 =
 17  17!18!
p = 17

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Challenge

10 10!
a C3 = = 120
3!7!
10 10!
C7 = = 120
7!3!

14 14!
b C5 = = 2002
5!9!
14 14!
C9 = = 2002
9!5!

c The two answers for part a are the same and the two answers for part b are the same.

n n! n! n!
d Cr = and nCn − r = because and (n − (n − r )) =
r
r !(n − r )! (n − r )!r ! (n − r )!( n − (n − r ) ) !
n! n!
As = , nCr = nCn − r
r !(n − r )! (n − r )!r !

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