On Subnomials

Abstract

While discussing the sum of consecutive powers as a result of division of two binomials W.W. Sawyer [12] observes “It is a curious fact that most algebra textbooks give our ast result twice. It appears in two different chapters and usually there is no mention in either of these that it also occurs in the other. The first chapter, of course, is that on factors. The second is that on geometrical progressions. Geometrical progressions are involved in nearly all financial questions involving compound interest – mortgages, annuities, etc.” It’s worth noticing that the first issue involves a simple arithmetical division of 99...9 by 9. While the above notion seems not have changed over the last 50 years, it reflects only a special case of a broader class of problems involving two variables. It seems strange, that while binomial formula is discussed and studied widely [7], [8], little research is done on its counterpart with all coefficients equal to one, which we will call here the subnomial. The study focuses on its basic properties and applies it to some simple problems usually proven by induction [6].