Part (a) asks you to prove (n choose r) + (n choose r + 1) = (n + 1 choose r + 1).
One strategy is to rewrite the function (n choose k) as n!/(k!*(n-k)!), and show that both sides of the equality match.
So, rewriting the LHS first:
(n choose r) + (n choose r + 1) = n!/r!(n-r)! + n!/(r+1)!/(n-r-1)! =
n!(r+1)+n!(n-r)! / (r+1)!(n-r)! = n!(n+1)/(r+1)!(n-r)! = (n+1)!/(r+1)!(n-r!)
This is just (n + 1 choose r + 1), thus we have shown that (n choose r) + (n choose r + 1) = (n + 1 choose r + 1).
OpenStudy (queelius):
I made a typo.
n!(n+1)/(r+1)!(n-r)! = (n+1)!/(r+1)!(n-r)!
OpenStudy (queelius):
So, it amounts to substituting the (n choose k)'s and then using algebraic manipulations to demonstrate equality.
OpenStudy (anonymous):
look at step
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