Generating Functions

Description: This quiz is designed to assess your understanding of generating functions, a powerful tool used to solve various problems in combinatorics and probability.
Number of Questions: 14
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Tags: generating functions combinatorics probability
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What is the generating function for the sequence (1, 2, 3, 4, \dots)?

  1. (\frac{x}{1-x})

  2. (\frac{x}{(1-x)^2})

  3. (\frac{x^2}{1-x})

  4. (\frac{x^2}{(1-x)^2})


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

The generating function for the sequence (1, 2, 3, 4, \dots) is (\frac{x}{(1-x)^2}) because the coefficient of (x^n) in this generating function is (n), which is the (n)-th term of the sequence.

Find the generating function for the sequence (1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, \dots), where each term is the sum of the previous two terms.

  1. (\frac{x}{1-x-x^2})

  2. (\frac{x}{1-2x+x^2})

  3. (\frac{x}{1-x+x^2})

  4. (\frac{x}{1+x+x^2})


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The generating function for the sequence (1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, \dots) is (\frac{x}{1-x-x^2}) because the characteristic equation of the recurrence relation (a_n = a_{n-1} + a_{n-2}) is (x^2 + x + 1 = 0), and the roots of this equation are (\frac{-1 \pm \sqrt{-3}}{2}).

What is the generating function for the sequence (1, 2, 4, 8, 16, \dots)?

  1. (\frac{x}{1-2x})

  2. (\frac{x}{1-x^2})

  3. (\frac{x}{1-3x})

  4. (\frac{x}{1-4x})


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The generating function for the sequence (1, 2, 4, 8, 16, \dots) is (\frac{x}{1-2x}) because the coefficient of (x^n) in this generating function is (2^{n-1}), which is the (n)-th term of the sequence.

Find the generating function for the sequence (1, 3, 6, 10, 15, \dots), where each term is the sum of the first (n) positive integers.

  1. (\frac{x}{(1-x)^3})

  2. (\frac{x}{(1-x)^2})

  3. (\frac{x}{(1-x)})

  4. (\frac{x}{1-x+x^2})


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The generating function for the sequence (1, 3, 6, 10, 15, \dots) is (\frac{x}{(1-x)^3}) because the coefficient of (x^n) in this generating function is (\frac{n(n+1)}{2}), which is the sum of the first (n) positive integers.

What is the generating function for the sequence (1, 4, 9, 16, 25, \dots)?

  1. (\frac{x}{1-x^2})

  2. (\frac{x}{1-2x^2})

  3. (\frac{x}{1-3x^2})

  4. (\frac{x}{1-4x^2})


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The generating function for the sequence (1, 4, 9, 16, 25, \dots) is (\frac{x}{1-x^2}) because the coefficient of (x^n) in this generating function is (n^2), which is the (n)-th term of the sequence.

Find the generating function for the sequence (1, 2, 4, 7, 11, \dots), where each term is the sum of the first (n) odd positive integers.

  1. (\frac{x}{(1-x)^4})

  2. (\frac{x}{(1-x)^3})

  3. (\frac{x}{(1-x)^2})

  4. (\frac{x}{(1-x)})


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The generating function for the sequence (1, 2, 4, 7, 11, \dots) is (\frac{x}{(1-x)^4}) because the coefficient of (x^n) in this generating function is (\frac{n(n+1)(2n+1)}{6}), which is the sum of the first (n) odd positive integers.

What is the generating function for the sequence (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, \dots)?

  1. (\frac{x}{1-x^3})

  2. (\frac{x}{1-2x^3})

  3. (\frac{x}{1-3x^3})

  4. (\frac{x}{1-4x^3})


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The generating function for the sequence (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, \dots) is (\frac{x}{1-x^3}) because the coefficient of (x^n) in this generating function is (2n-1), which is the (n)-th term of the sequence.

Find the generating function for the sequence (1, 4, 9, 16, 25, \dots), where each term is the square of the first (n) positive integers.

  1. (\frac{x}{(1-x)^5})

  2. (\frac{x}{(1-x)^4})

  3. (\frac{x}{(1-x)^3})

  4. (\frac{x}{(1-x)^2})


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The generating function for the sequence (1, 4, 9, 16, 25, \dots) is (\frac{x}{(1-x)^5}) because the coefficient of (x^n) in this generating function is (\frac{n(n+1)(2n+1)(3n^2+3n-1)}{30}), which is the square of the first (n) positive integers.

What is the generating function for the sequence (1, 2, 6, 24, 120, \dots)?

  1. (\frac{x}{1-x-x^2-x^3})

  2. (\frac{x}{1-2x-x^2-x^3})

  3. (\frac{x}{1-3x-x^2-x^3})

  4. (\frac{x}{1-4x-x^2-x^3})


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The generating function for the sequence (1, 2, 6, 24, 120, \dots) is (\frac{x}{1-x-x^2-x^3}) because the characteristic equation of the recurrence relation (a_n = a_{n-1} + a_{n-2} + a_{n-3} + a_{n-4}) is (x^4 + x^3 + x^2 + x + 1 = 0), and the roots of this equation are (\frac{-1 \pm \sqrt{-3}}{2}, \frac{-1 \pm i\sqrt{3}}{2}).

Find the generating function for the sequence (1, 3, 6, 10, 15, \dots), where each term is the sum of the first (n) triangular numbers.

  1. (\frac{x}{(1-x)^4})

  2. (\frac{x}{(1-x)^3})

  3. (\frac{x}{(1-x)^2})

  4. (\frac{x}{(1-x)})


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The generating function for the sequence (1, 3, 6, 10, 15, \dots) is (\frac{x}{(1-x)^4}) because the coefficient of (x^n) in this generating function is (\frac{n(n+1)(n+2)}{6}), which is the sum of the first (n) triangular numbers.

What is the generating function for the sequence (1, 5, 14, 30, 55, \dots)?

  1. (\frac{x}{1-x-x^2})

  2. (\frac{x}{1-2x-x^2})

  3. (\frac{x}{1-3x-x^2})

  4. (\frac{x}{1-4x-x^2})


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The generating function for the sequence (1, 5, 14, 30, 55, \dots) is (\frac{x}{1-x-x^2}) because the characteristic equation of the recurrence relation (a_n = a_{n-1} + a_{n-2} + a_{n-3}) is (x^3 + x^2 + x + 1 = 0), and the roots of this equation are (\frac{-1 \pm \sqrt{-3}}{2}, \frac{-1}{2}).

Find the generating function for the sequence (1, 4, 10, 20, 35, \dots), where each term is the sum of the first (n) square numbers.

  1. (\frac{x}{(1-x)^5})

  2. (\frac{x}{(1-x)^4})

  3. (\frac{x}{(1-x)^3})

  4. (\frac{x}{(1-x)^2})


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The generating function for the sequence (1, 4, 10, 20, 35, \dots) is (\frac{x}{(1-x)^5}) because the coefficient of (x^n) in this generating function is (\frac{n(n+1)(2n+1)(3n^2+3n-1)}{30}), which is the sum of the first (n) square numbers.

What is the generating function for the sequence (1, 2, 5, 12, 22, \dots)?

  1. (\frac{x}{1-x-x^2-x^3})

  2. (\frac{x}{1-2x-x^2-x^3})

  3. (\frac{x}{1-3x-x^2-x^3})

  4. (\frac{x}{1-4x-x^2-x^3})


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The generating function for the sequence (1, 2, 5, 12, 22, \dots) is (\frac{x}{1-x-x^2-x^3}) because the characteristic equation of the recurrence relation (a_n = a_{n-1} + a_{n-2} + a_{n-3} + a_{n-4}) is (x^4 + x^3 + x^2 + x + 1 = 0), and the roots of this equation are (\frac{-1 \pm \sqrt{-3}}{2}, \frac{-1 \pm i\sqrt{3}}{2}).

Find the generating function for the sequence (1, 5, 15, 35, 70, \dots), where each term is the sum of the first (n) pentagonal numbers.

  1. (\frac{x}{(1-x)^6})

  2. (\frac{x}{(1-x)^5})

  3. (\frac{x}{(1-x)^4})

  4. (\frac{x}{(1-x)^3})


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The generating function for the sequence (1, 5, 15, 35, 70, \dots) is (\frac{x}{(1-x)^6}) because the coefficient of (x^n) in this generating function is (\frac{n(n+1)(3n-1)}{6}), which is the sum of the first (n) pentagonal numbers.

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