Question

The coefficient of ${{x}^{7}}$ in ${{\left( 1-x-{{x}^{2}}+{{x}^{3}} \right)}^{6}}$ is
\[\begin{align}
  & A.-144 \\
 & B.144 \\
 & C.-128 \\
 & D.-142 \\
\end{align}\]

Answer 1

Hint: In this question, we are given a polynomial and we need to find a coefficient of ${{x}^{7}}$. For this, we first need to simplify the polynomial. We will factorise the polynomial. Then, we will find all the possible combinations of powers of x from the factor which when multiplied will give us the power of x as 7. Then, we will find the coefficients of all these combinations and add. For finding the coefficient of any ${{x}^{n}}$ in ${{\left( 1+x \right)}^{p}}$ we use formula: ${}^{p}{{C}_{n}}=\dfrac{p!}{n!\left( p-n \right)!}$ and for coefficient of any ${{x}^{n}}{{\left( 1-x \right)}^{p}}$ we use formula ${{\left( -1 \right)}^{n}}{}^{p}{{C}_{n}}={{\left( -1 \right)}^{n}}\dfrac{p!}{n!\left( p-n \right)!}$.

Complete step-by-step solution
Here, we are given the polynomial as ${{\left( 1-x-{{x}^{2}}+{{x}^{3}} \right)}^{6}}$.
Let us factorise it $\left( 1-x-{{x}^{2}}+{{x}^{3}} \right)$. Taking $-{{x}^{2}}$ common from third and fourth term we get: $\left( \left( 1-x \right)-{{x}^{2}}\left( 1-x \right) \right)$. Now take the common (1-x) common we get: $\left( 1-x \right)\left( 1-{{x}^{2}} \right)$. As we know that, ${{a}^{2}}-{{b}^{2}}=\left( a+b \right)\left( a-b \right)$ so we get: $\left( 1-x \right)\left( 1-x \right)\left( 1+x \right)\Rightarrow {{\left( 1-x \right)}^{2}}\left( 1+x \right)$.
Now, ${{\left( 1-x-{{x}^{2}}+{{x}^{3}} \right)}^{6}}$ becomes ${{\left( {{\left( 1-x \right)}^{2}}\left( 1+x \right) \right)}^{6}}\Rightarrow {{\left( 1-x \right)}^{12}}{{\left( 1+x \right)}^{6}}$.
Now, let us find combination of ${{x}^{m}}$ from ${{\left( 1-x \right)}^{12}}$ and ${{x}^{n}}$ from ${{\left( 1+x \right)}^{6}}$ such that ${{x}^{m}}\cdot {{x}^{n}}={{x}^{m+n}}={{x}^{7}}$ and then apply following formula to find coefficient.
Coefficient of ${{x}^{m}}$ in ${{\left( 1+x \right)}^{p}}={}^{p}{{C}_{m}}=\dfrac{p!}{m!\left( p-m \right)!}$.
Coefficient of ${{x}^{n}}$ in ${{\left( 1-x \right)}^{p}}={}^{p}{{C}_{n}}=\dfrac{p!}{n!\left( p-n \right)!}$.
Combination and their coefficient are:
1. Coefficient of x in ${{\left( 1-x \right)}^{12}}\times $ coefficient of ${{x}^{6}}$ in ${{\left( 1+x \right)}^{6}}$.
\[\begin{align}
  & \Rightarrow \left( -1 \right){}^{12}{{C}_{1}}\times {}^{6}{{C}_{6}} \\
 & \Rightarrow \dfrac{-12!}{1!\left( 12-1 \right)!}\times \dfrac{6!}{6!\left( 6-6 \right)!} \\
 & \Rightarrow \dfrac{-12\times 11!}{11!}\times \dfrac{1}{0!} \\
 & \Rightarrow -12\times 1=-12 \\
\end{align}\]
2. Coefficient of ${{x}^{2}}$ in ${{\left( 1-x \right)}^{12}}\times $ coefficient of ${{x}^{5}}$ in ${{\left( 1+x \right)}^{6}}$.
\[\begin{align}
  & \Rightarrow {{\left( -1 \right)}^{2}}{}^{12}{{C}_{2}}\times {}^{6}{{C}_{5}} \\
 & \Rightarrow \dfrac{12!}{2!10!}\times \dfrac{6!}{5!} \\
 & \Rightarrow \dfrac{12\times 11\times 10!}{2\times 10!}\times \dfrac{6\times 5!}{5!} \\
 & \Rightarrow 66\times 6 \\
 & \Rightarrow 396 \\
\end{align}\]
3. Coefficient of ${{x}^{3}}$ in ${{\left( 1-x \right)}^{12}}\times $ coefficient of ${{x}^{4}}$ in ${{\left( 1+x \right)}^{6}}$.
\[\begin{align}
  & \Rightarrow {{\left( -1 \right)}^{3}}{}^{12}{{C}_{3}}\times {}^{6}{{C}_{4}} \\
 & \Rightarrow \dfrac{-12!}{3!9!}\times \dfrac{6!}{4\times 2!} \\
 & \Rightarrow \dfrac{-12\times 11\times 10\times 9!}{6\times 9!}\times \dfrac{6\times 5\times 4!}{4!\times 2} \\
 & \Rightarrow -220\times 15 \\
 & \Rightarrow -3300 \\
\end{align}\]
4. Coefficient of ${{x}^{4}}$ in ${{\left( 1-x \right)}^{12}}\times $ coefficient of ${{x}^{3}}$ in ${{\left( 1+x \right)}^{6}}$.
\[\begin{align}
  & \Rightarrow {{\left( -1 \right)}^{4}}{}^{12}{{C}_{4}}\times {}^{6}{{C}_{3}} \\
 & \Rightarrow \dfrac{12!}{4!8!}\times \dfrac{6!}{3!3!} \\
 & \Rightarrow \dfrac{12\times 11\times 10\times 9\times 8!}{24\times 8!}\times \dfrac{6\times 5\times 4\times 3!}{6\times 3!} \\
 & \Rightarrow 495\times 20 \\
 & \Rightarrow 9900 \\
\end{align}\]
5. Coefficient of ${{x}^{5}}$ in ${{\left( 1-x \right)}^{12}}\times $ coefficient of ${{x}^{2}}$ in ${{\left( 1+x \right)}^{6}}$.
\[\begin{align}
  & \Rightarrow {{\left( -1 \right)}^{5}}{}^{12}{{C}_{5}}\times {}^{6}{{C}_{2}} \\
 & \Rightarrow \dfrac{-12!}{5!7!}\times \dfrac{6!}{2!4!} \\
 & \Rightarrow \dfrac{-12\times 11\times 10\times 9\times 8\times 7!}{5\times 4\times 3\times 2\times 7!}\times \dfrac{6\times 5\times 4!}{4!\times 2} \\
 & \Rightarrow -792\times 15 \\
 & \Rightarrow -11880 \\
\end{align}\]
6. Coefficient of ${{x}^{6}}$ in ${{\left( 1-x \right)}^{12}}\times $ coefficient of x in ${{\left( 1+x \right)}^{6}}$.
\[\begin{align}
  & \Rightarrow {{\left( -1 \right)}^{6}}{}^{12}{{C}_{6}}\times {}^{6}{{C}_{1}} \\
 & \Rightarrow \dfrac{12!}{6!6!}\times \dfrac{6!}{1!5!} \\
 & \Rightarrow 924\times 6 \\
 & \Rightarrow 5544 \\
\end{align}\]
7. Coefficient of ${{x}^{7}}$ in ${{\left( 1-x \right)}^{12}}\times $ coefficient of ${{x}^{0}}$ in ${{\left( 1+x \right)}^{6}}$.
\[\begin{align}
  & \Rightarrow {{\left( -1 \right)}^{7}}{}^{12}{{C}_{7}}\times {}^{6}{{C}_{0}} \\
 & \Rightarrow \dfrac{-12!}{7!6!}\times \dfrac{6!}{0!6!} \\
 & \Rightarrow -792\times 1 \\
 & \Rightarrow -792 \\
\end{align}\]
Now, adding all these combinations will give us a coefficient of ${{x}^{7}}$. Hence, the coefficient of ${{x}^{7}}$ is \[\Rightarrow -12+396-3300+9900-11880+5544-792=-144\].
Therefore, coefficient of ${{x}^{7}}$ in ${{\left( 1-x-{{x}^{2}}+{{x}^{3}} \right)}^{6}}$ is -144.
Therefore, option A is the correct answer.

Note: Students should take care while evaluating ${}^{n}{{C}_{r}}$. We are dealing with huge numbers here so take care of positive and negative signs. Students should not miss any combination and don't forget to take ${{\left( -1 \right)}^{n}}$ for coefficient of ${{x}^{n}}$ in ${{\left( 1-x \right)}^{p}}$. To ease calculation students should know that ${}^{n}{{C}_{r}}={}^{n}{{C}_{n-r}}$.