1. Use the nCk = n!/k!(n-k)! formula.
10Ck / 10C(k-1)
= { 10!/k!(10-k)! } / { 10!/(k-1)!(11-k)! }
= (k-1)! * (11-k)! / (k! * (10-k)! )
= (k-1)!/k! * (11-k)!/(10-k)!
= 1/k * (11-k)
= 11/k - 1
2. Try squaring (sqrt(2) + 1) and (sqrt(2) - 1) each twice, then add together. Should be quicker than using the full bionomial expansion.
(sqrt(2) + 1)^2
= 2 + 2*sqrt(2) + 1
= 3 + 2*sqrt(2)
likewise,
(sqrt(2) - 1)^2
= 3 - 2*sqrt(2)
squaring them both again,
(sqrt(2) + 1)^4
= 9 + 12*sqrt(2) + 8
= 17 + 12*sqrt(2)
likewise,
(sqrt(2) - 1)^4
= 17 - 12*sqrt(2)
adding them together.
(sqrt(2) + 1)^4 + (sqrt(2) - 1)^4
= 34
If you do 4U, you'll notice the resemblance of surds to complex numbers, from this question. Just as a complex no. has real and imaginary components, a surd has a rational and irrational components, and they act quite similarly.
e.g. (sqrt(2) + i)^4 + (sqrt(2) - i)^4
= 34 too.
3.
(1 + ax)^n = 1 - 24x + 252x^2 - ...
generally,
(1 + ax)^n = 1 - n*ax + (nC2)*a^2*x^2 - ...
comparing the two equations,
na = -24
nC2 * a^2 = 252
but nC2 =n!/2!(n-2)! = n(n-1) /2
a^2 * (n^2 - n) = 504
576/n^2 * (n^2 - n) = 504
576 - 576/n = 504
576/n = 72
n = 8
a = -3