If A and B are numbers such that the polynomial x2017+Ax+B is divisible by (x+1)2, what is the value of B?
This probably isn't how this problem is intended to be done but it's all I can come up with.
Let p(x)=x2017+Ax+BWe'll expand p(x) as a Taylor series about (x+1)p(x)=∞∑k=0 p(k)(−1)(x+1)kk!p(x) being divisible by (x+1)2 means that the first two terms must be 0p(0)(−1)=p(−1)=−1−A+B=0p(1)(−1)=2017(−1)2016+A=2017+A=0A=−2017B=−2016
Note: p(k)(x)=dkpdxk(x)