Binomial Coefficient Expanding Brain

Plugging into your calculator (n over k) Using the formula computing factorials in your head n! k! (n − k)! Expanding and computing the coefficient of the kth power of x (x + 1)ⁿ Writing down n rows of Pascal's triangle to find the kth element 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 3 3 1 Making your own Galton board with n rows and experimentally obtain values for the binomial coefficient

The meme shows progressively more elaborate ways to calculate a binomial coefficient, from using a calculator to mentally computing factorials, expanding a power, writing Pascal’s triangle, and finally building a Galton board. The increasingly overcomplicated methods are paired with increasingly cosmic “expanding brain” images, joking about taking a simple calculation to absurd extremes. It is sent as a reaction to unnecessary cleverness or dramatically overengineering an easy task.

• @profunctor_io / 1192 2018-08-15