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2020 Paper 3 Q5
D: 1500.0 B: 1500.0

Show that for positive integer \(n\), \(x^n - y^n = (x-y)\displaystyle\sum_{r=1}^{n} x^{n-r} y^{r-1}\).

  1. Let \(\mathrm{F}\) be defined by \[ \mathrm{F}(x) = \frac{1}{x^n(x-k)} \quad \text{for } x \neq 0,\, k \] where \(n\) is a positive integer and \(k \neq 0\).
    1. Given that \[ \mathrm{F}(x) = \frac{A}{x-k} + \frac{\mathrm{f}(x)}{x^n}, \] where \(A\) is a constant and \(\mathrm{f}(x)\) is a polynomial, show that \[ \mathrm{f}(x) = \frac{1}{x-k}\left(1 - \left(\frac{x}{k}\right)^n\right). \] Deduce that \[ \mathrm{F}(x) = \frac{1}{k^n(x-k)} - \frac{1}{k}\sum_{r=1}^{n} \frac{1}{k^{n-r}x^r}. \]
    2. By differentiating \(x^n \mathrm{F}(x)\), prove that \[ \frac{1}{x^n(x-k)^2} = \frac{1}{k^n(x-k)^2} - \frac{n}{xk^n(x-k)} + \sum_{r=1}^{n} \frac{n-r}{k^{n+1-r}x^{r+1}}. \]
  2. Hence evaluate the limit of \[ \int_2^N \frac{1}{x^3(x-1)^2} \; \mathrm{d}x \] as \(N \to \infty\), justifying your answer.