Document Type

Research

Abstract

In almost all books on College Algebra, the Pascal Triangle is placed in such a position as to show the binomial coefficients in a horizontal line. This position is appropriate when the only use of the triangle is to help students remember these coefficients; but Pascal had a wider purpose in mind. Pascal's Construction. Pascal first sets up a lattice-work consisting of equal squares, assigning to each square a definite positive integer which he determines as follows. 1. The number in each square of the 1st (top) row, and also in each square of the 1st (left-hand) column is to be unity. 2. To each other square is assigned an integer determined by the recurrence relation which he states thus: "The number in any other square is equal to the sum of the two numbers immediately to the left, and immediately above it."

Publication Date

1956

Journal Title

Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science

Volume

Issue

First Page

534

Last Page

537

Copyright

Language

File Format

application/pdf

Recommended Citation

McClenon, R. B. (1956) "Pascal's Arithmetical Triangle," Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science, 63(1), 534-537.
Available at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/pias/vol63/iss1/54

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Pascal's Arithmetical Triangle

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