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In Mathematics , a coefficient is a constant Multiplicative factor of a certain object. The object can be such things as a Variable , a Vector , a Function etc. For example, the coefficient of ''9x''''2'' is ''9''. In some cases, the objects and the coefficients are indexed in the same way, leading to expressions such as
:a_1 x_1 + a_2 x_2 + a_3 x_3 + \cdots

where ''a''''n'' is the coefficient of the variable ''x''''n'' for each ''n'' = 1, 2, 3, …

In a polynomial ''P''(''x'') of one variable ''x'', the coefficient of ''x''''k'' can be indexed by ''k'', giving the convention that for example

:P(x) = a_k x^k + \cdots + a_1 x^1 + a_0

For the largest ''k'' where ''a''''k'' ≠ 0, ''a''''k'' is called the ''leading coefficient'' of ''P'' because most often, polynomials are written from the largest power of ''x'', downward (i.e. ''x''5 + ''x''4 + ''x''2 ...).

Important coefficients in mathematics include the Binomial Coefficient s, coefficients in the statement of the Binomial Theorem , which can be partially found with Pascal's Triangle .


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