$$In class we saw that the sum of the entries of row $n$ of Pascal's Triangle is $2^n$. In this problem we investigate the sums of the squares of the entries of row $n$ of Pascal's Triangle.
(a) Compute the sums of the squares of Rows 1-4 of Pascal's Triangle. That is, compute:
$$\binom10^2 + \binom11^2$$
$$\binom20^2 + \binom21^2 + \binom22^2$$
$$\binom30^2 + \binom31^2 + \binom32^2 + \binom33^2$$
$$\binom40^2 + \binom41^2 + \binom42^2 + \binom43^2 + \binom44^2$$
Do these sums appear anywhere else in Pascal's Triangle?
(b) Guess at an identity based on your observations from part (a). Your identity should be of the form
$$\binom{n}{0}^2 + \binom{n}{1}^2 + \cdots + \binom{n}{n}^2 = \text{ something}.$$
(You have to figure out what "something" is.) Test your identity for $n=1,2,3,4$ using your results from part (a).
(c) Prove your identity using a committee-forming argument.
(d) Prove your identity using a block-walking argument.$$
Please explain very well for each part in this question.
Here's part of the question.......
a) The sums are
2 = C(2,1)
6 = C(4, 2)
20 = C(6, 3)
70= C(8,4)
b) The pattern appears to be
[C(n,0)]^2 + [C(n, 1)]^2 + [C(n, 2)]^2 +.....+ [C(n,n)]^2 = C(2n, n)
Sorry....I don't know the answers to c or d !!!!
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I am sorry Mellie I don't know either. I don't even know what committee forming arguements or block walking arguments are :/ ![]()
I'll put it in the wrap, maybe one of the other mathematicians can help you ![]()
Imagine Pascal's Triangle with lines connecting each term. The ways go from the top to somewhere else is a block-walking proof in this case.
As for the committee-forming proof, we need to form a committee by using
\(\dbinom{n}{k}\)
Committee forming is just like saying you have $n$ people, and from that $n$ people, you want to choose $k$ people to form a committee or group, so how many different groups can you make? So it's just like $\binom{n}{k}$.