Let denote the set of all real numbers. Let .
Define the functions , , and by
If for every , then the coefficient of in is
Correct Answer :
-4
Solution :
We are given the functions defined by:
and the function is given by:
We are told that for all . For these two polynomial functions to be equal for all real numbers, their corresponding coefficients must be equal. In particular, the coefficients of the terms must be equal:
Now, let's determine the coefficient of in both and .
Step 1: Coefficient of in
We substitute into :
Using the binomial expansion, the only terms that can produce are:
1. From : The term is .
2. From : The term is .
Therefore, the coefficient of in is:
Step 2: Coefficient of in
We substitute into :
Using the binomial expansion, the only terms that can produce are:
1. From : The term is .
2. From : The term is .
Therefore, the coefficient of in is:
Step 3: Coefficient of in
Using the definition of , the coefficient of is:
Since we established that , we have:
Substituting this back into our expression for the coefficient of in yields:
Therefore, the coefficient of in is -4.
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