ACT Math - How to find the value of the coefficient

Give the coefficient of $x^{4}$ in the binomial expansion of $\left (6x+ \frac{1}{6}\right )^{7}$ .

$\frac{35}{6}$

Explanation

If the expression $\left ( A x + B\right )^{n}$ is expanded, then by the binomial theorem, the $x^{k}$ term is

$C(n, k) \cdot\left ( Ax \right )^{k} \cdot B ^{n - k}$

$= C(n, k) \cdot A ^{k} \cdot B ^{n - k} \cdot x^{k}$

or, equivalently, the coefficient of $x^{k}$ is

$C(n, k) \cdot A ^{k} \cdot B ^{n - k}$

Therefore, the $x^{4}$ coefficient can be determined by setting

$A = 6, B = \frac{1}{6}, n = 7, k= 4$ :

$C(7,4) \cdot 6 ^{4} \cdot\left ( \frac{1}{6} \right ) ^{7-4}$

$=C(7,4) \cdot 6 ^{4} \cdot\left ( \frac{1}{6} \right ) ^{3}$

$=35 \cdot 1,296 \cdot \frac{1}{216}$

Give the coefficient of $x^{2}$ in the product

$\left ( x+ 0.4\right ) (x - 0.2) (3x-0.7)$ .

Explanation

While this problem can be answered by multiplying the three binomials, it is not necessary. There are three ways to multiply one term from each binomial such that two terms and one constant are multiplied; find the three products and add them, as follows:

$\left (\underline{ x}+ 0.4\right ) (\underline{x} - 0.2) (3x\underline{-0.7})$

$x \cdot x \cdot (-0.7) = -0.7x^{2}$

$\left (\underline{ x}+ 0.4\right ) (x \underline{-0.2})(\underline{3x}-0.7)$

$x \cdot (-0.2) \cdot 3x= -0.6x^{2}$

$\left (x+ \underline{0.4}\right ) (\underline{x} - 0.2)(\underline{3x}-0.7)$

$0.4 \cdot x \cdot 3x = 1.2 x^{2}$

Add: $-0.7x^{2}+ (-0.6x^{2})+ 1.2x^{2} = -0.1x^{2}$ .

The correct response is .

Give the coefficient of $x^{5}$ in the binomial expansion of $\left ( 0.2x+ 5 \right )^{7}$ .

Explanation

If the expression $\left ( A x + B\right )^{n}$ is expanded, then by the binomial theorem, the $x^{k}$ term is

$C(n, k) \cdot\left ( Ax \right )^{k} \cdot B ^{n - k}$

$= C(n, k) \cdot A ^{k} \cdot B ^{n - k} \cdot x^{k}$

or, equivalently, the coefficient of $x^{k}$ is

$C(n, k) \cdot A ^{k} \cdot B ^{n - k}$

Therefore, the $x^{5}$ coefficient can be determined by setting

$C(7,5) \cdot 0.2^{5} \cdot 5 ^{7 - 5}$

$= C(7,5) \cdot 0.2 ^{5} \cdot 5 ^{2}$

$= 21\cdot 0.00032 \cdot 25$

Give the coefficient of $x^{5}$ in the binomial expansion of $\left ( 2x+ 0.5\right )^{8}$ .

Explanation

If the expression $\left ( A x + B\right )^{n}$ is expanded, then by the binomial theorem, the $x^{k}$ term is

$C(n, k) \cdot\left ( Ax \right )^{k} \cdot B ^{n - k}$

$= C(n, k) \cdot A ^{k} \cdot B ^{n - k} \cdot x^{k}$

or, equivalently, the coefficient of $x^{k}$ is

$C(n, k) \cdot A ^{k} \cdot B ^{n - k}$

Therefore, the $x^{5}$ coefficient can be determined by setting

$C(8,5) \cdot 2^{5} \cdot 0.5 ^{8-5}$

$=C(8,5) \cdot 2^{5} \cdot 0.5 ^{3}$

$= 56\cdot 32 \cdot 0.125$

Give the coefficient of $x^{2}$ in the product

$\left (3x- 7 \right ) \left ( 4x+3\right )\left ( 2x-7\right )$ .

Explanation

$\left (\underline{3x}- 7 \right ) \left ( \underline{4x}+3\right )\left ( 2x\underline{-7}\right )$

$3x \cdot 4x \cdot (-7) = -84x^{2}$

$\left (\underline{3x}- 7 \right ) \left ( 4x\underline{+3}\right )\left ( \underline{2x}-7\right )$

$3x \cdot 3 \cdot 2x = 18x^{2}$

$\left (3x\underline{- 7} \right ) \left ( \underline{4x}+3\right )\left ( \underline{2x}-7\right )$

$-7 \cdot 4x \cdot 2x = -56x^{2}$

Add: $-84x^{2} + 18x^{2} - 56x^{2} = -122x^{2}$

The correct response is -122.

$2x^{2} \cdot x^{3}y^{2} \cdot 3y$ is equivalent to which of the following?

$6x^{5}y^{3}$

$6x^{6}y^{2}$

$5x^{5}y^{3}$

$5x^{6}y^{2}$

Explanation

To answer this problem, we need to multiply the expressions together, being mindful of how to correctly multiply like variables with exponents. To do this, we add the exponents together if the the like variables are being multiplied and subtract the exponents if the variables are being divided. So, for the presented data:

$2x^{2} \cdot x^{3}y^{2} \cdot 3y = 2x^{5} \cdot 3y^{3}$

We then multiply the remaining expressions together. When we do this, we will multiply the coefficients together and combine the different variables into the final expression. Therefore:

$2x^{5} \cdot 3y^{3} = 6x^{5}y^{3}$