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2024 Paper 2 Q6
D: 1500.0 B: 1500.0

In this question, you need not consider issues of convergence.

  1. The sequence \(T_n\), for \(n = 0, 1, 2, \ldots\), is defined by \(T_0 = 1\) and, for \(n \geqslant 1\), by \[ T_n = \frac{2n-1}{2n}\,T_{n-1}. \] Prove by induction that \[ T_n = \frac{1}{2^{2n}}\binom{2n}{n}, \] for \(n = 0, 1, 2, \ldots\). [Note that \(\dbinom{0}{0} = 1\).]
  2. Show that in the binomial series for \((1-x)^{-\frac{1}{2}}\), \[ (1-x)^{-\frac{1}{2}} = \sum_{r=0}^{\infty} a_r x^r, \] successive coefficients are related by \[ a_r = \frac{2r-1}{2r}\,a_{r-1} \] for \(r = 1, 2, \ldots\)\,. Hence prove that \(a_r = T_r\) for all \(r = 0, 1, 2, \ldots\)\,.
  3. Let \(b_r\) be the coefficient of \(x^r\) in the binomial series for \((1-x)^{-\frac{3}{2}}\), so that \[ (1-x)^{-\frac{3}{2}} = \sum_{r=0}^{\infty} b_r x^r. \] By considering \(\dfrac{b_r}{a_r}\), find an expression involving a binomial coefficient for \(b_r\), for \(r = 0, 1, 2, \ldots\)\,.
  4. By considering the product of the binomial series for \((1-x)^{-\frac{1}{2}}\) and \((1-x)^{-1}\), prove that \[ \frac{(2n+1)}{2^{2n}}\binom{2n}{n} = \sum_{r=0}^{n} \frac{1}{2^{2r}}\binom{2r}{r}, \] for \(n = 1, 2, \ldots\)\,.


Solution:

  1. Claim: \(\displaystyle T_n = \frac{1}{2^{2n}}\binom{2n}{n}\) Proof: (By Induction) Base case: \(n=0\). Note that \(T_0 = 1\) and \(\frac{1}{2^0}\binom{0}{0} = 1\) so the base case is true. Assume true for some \(n=k\), ie \(T_k = \frac{1}{2^{2k}} \binom{2k}{k}\) so \begin{align*} && T_{k+1} &= \frac{2(k+1)-1}{2(k+1)} \frac{1}{2^{2k}} \binom{2k}{k} \\ &&&= \frac{2k+1}{k+1} \frac{1}{2^{2k+1}} \frac{(2k)!}{k!k!} \\ &&&= \frac{2(k+1)(2k+1)}{(k+1)(k+1)} \frac{1}{2^{2(k+1)}} \frac{(2k)!}{k!k!} \\ &&&= \frac{1}{2^{2(k+1)}} \frac{(2k+2)!}{(k+1)!(k+1)!} \\ &&&= \frac{1}{2^{2(k+1)}} \binom{2(k+1)}{k+1} \end{align*} and therefore it's true for all \(n\).
  2. Notice that \((1-x)^{-\frac12} = 1 + (-\tfrac12)(-x) + \frac{(-\frac12)(-\frac32)}{2!}(-x)^2+\cdots\) in particular \(a_r = \frac{(-\frac12 - r)}{r}(-1)a_{r-1} = \frac{2r-1}{2r}a_{r-1}\). Since \(a_0 = 1\) we have \(a_r = T_r\) for all \(r\).
  3. Notice that \begin{align*} && (1-x)^{-\frac32} &= \sum_{r=0}^\infty b_r x^r \\ &&&= \sum_{r=0}^\infty \frac{(-\frac32)\cdot(-\frac32-1)\cdots (-\frac32-(r-1))}{r!}(-x)^r \\ &&&= \sum_{r=0}^\infty \frac{(-\frac12-1)\cdot(-\frac12-2)\cdots (-\frac12-r)}{r!}(-x)^r \\ \end{align*} Therefore \(\frac{b_r}{a_r} = \frac{r+\frac12}{\frac12} = 2r+1\) so \(b_r = \frac{2r+1}{2^{2r}} \binom{2r}{r}\)
  4. Notice that \begin{align*} && (1-x)^{-\frac32} &= (1-x)^{-\frac12}(1-x)^{-1} \\ &&&= (1 + x+ x^2 + \cdots) \sum_{r=0}^{\infty} a_r x^r \\ &&&= \sum_{i=0}^{\infty} \sum_{k=0}^n a_r x^i \end{align*} So we must have \(b_r = \sum_{i=0}^ra_i\) which is the required result