multinomial theorem

E26831

The multinomial theorem is a fundamental algebraic formula that generalizes the binomial theorem to express powers of sums with any number of terms using multinomial coefficients.

Observed surface forms (1)

Surface form Occurrences
Pascal's pyramid 1

Statements (44)

Predicate Object
instanceOf algebraic identity
mathematical theorem
appearsIn expansion of (a+b+c+...)^n
higher-dimensional Taylor expansions
moment calculations in statistics
appliesTo (x1 + x2 + ... + xm)^n
assumes m is a positive integer
n is a nonnegative integer
x1,...,xm are elements of a commutative ring or field
basisFor definition of multinomial distribution probabilities
some algorithms in symbolic computation
category finite sums and products identities
coefficientOf x1^{k1}...xm^{km} equals n!/(k1!...km!)
connectedTo combinatorial counting of distributions of n identical objects into m boxes
stars and bars method
describes expansion of powers of sums with multiple terms
field algebra
combinatorics
generalizationOf generalized binomial theorem
surface form: Newton binomial formula
generalizes binomial theorem
hasComponent multinomial coefficient n!/(k1!...km!)
implies number of distinct terms in expansion equals C(n+m-1, m-1)
involves sum over all m-tuples of nonnegative integers (k1,...,km) with k1+...+km=n
proofMethods combinatorial argument
generating functions
induction on n
relatedTo multinomial coefficient
multinomial distribution
relates factorials to exponents in polynomial expansions
requires commutativity of multiplication for variables x1,...,xm
specialCase reduces to binomial theorem when m = 2
states (x1 + x2 + ... + xm)^n = Σ_{k1+...+km=n} (n!/(k1!...km!)) x1^{k1}...xm^{km}
typeOfGeneralization combinatorial generalization of binomial expansion
usedFor computing coefficients in multivariate polynomials
counting ordered outcomes in m-way experiments with n trials
usedIn combinatorial proofs
enumerative combinatorics
polynomial algebra
probability theory
series expansions
uses multinomial coefficients
validOver any commutative ring with identity
complex numbers
real numbers

Referenced by (3)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Pascal's triangle generalization multinomial theorem
this entity surface form: Pascal's pyramid
binomial theorem generalizedBy multinomial theorem
binomial theorem isSpecialCaseOf multinomial theorem