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.

All labels observed (2)

Label Occurrences
multinomial theorem canonical 2
Pascal's pyramid 1

How this entity was disambiguated

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

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (3)

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

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