How can I find the coefficient of x^12

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To find the coefficient of x^12 in the expression (2+x)^{14}(1+ \frac{2}{x})^{14}, one approach involves rewriting the expression to identify terms contributing to x^12. The term T_{r+1} can be expressed as 14C_r (4)^{14-r}(\frac{4+x^2}{x})^r, where the binomial coefficient 14C_r is crucial. The key is to determine the values of r and s such that the powers of x combine to yield x^12, specifically by solving the equation 2s - r = 12. This method, while complex, allows for calculating the coefficient by summing the contributions from valid r and s pairs. The discussion emphasizes the challenge in simplifying the problem while maintaining accuracy in calculations.
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How can I find the coefficient of x^12 in:
(2+x)^{14}(1+ \frac{2}{x})^{14}
I did it like that:
(2+x)^{14}(1+ \frac{2}{x})^{14}
Can be written as:
(4+ \frac{4+x^2}{x})^{14}
Now the term T_{r+1} can be represented as:
14C_r (4)^{14-r}(\frac{4+x^2}{x})^r (How can I write 14Cr?)
Dont know where to go from here?

Thanks in advance for any help. :smile:
 
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There's more than one way to skin a cat:

how can you obtain x^12 from the two original brackets? You need x^14 from one and x^{-2} from the other and... add 'em up.

for the tex for binomial coeffs click on:

\binom{n}{r}
 
Thanks a lot for your reply Matt. I got what you said but I'm still curious to find out how can I find the answer to it by using the method I stated above? I have done many similar questions and I know I have to find the value of r for which the power of x is 12. Is this possible?
 
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of course it is- just not very easy, you just need, for each r to find the positive integer s where 0<=s<=r, if it exists, such that 2s-r=12 and then add up, for each one where this happens,

\binom{14}{r}\binom{r}{s}4^{14-r}4^{r-s}


hardly elegant but then you made the problem much harder with your choice of "simplification"
 
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