The coefficient of x15 in (1 – x)(1 – 2x)(1 – 22x) … (1 – 215x) means the product of coefficients of x of any 15 factors of the above expression i.e. we need to multiply coefficients of any 15 factors i.e. leaving one factor of total 16 factors at a time.
Coefficient of x15 is coefficient of x in (1 – x)(1 – 2x)(1 – 22x) … (1 – 215x) / (1 – x) +
(1 – x)(1 – 2x)(1 – 22x) … (1 – 215x) / (1 – 2x) + (1 – x)(1 – 2x)(1 – 22x) … (1 – 215x) / (1 – 22x) +
…. + (1 – x)(1 – 2x)(1 – 22) … (1 – 215x) / (1 – 215x)

coefficient of x is (–1)(–2)(–2
2)...(–2
15) / (–1) + (–1)(–2)(–2
2)...(–2
15) / (–2) + (–1)(–2)(–2
2)...(–2
15) / (–2
2)
+ …. + (–1)(–2)(–22)...(–215) / (–215)
= – (21+2+3+...+15) – (21+2+3+...+15) / 21 – (21+2+3+...+15) / 22 – …. – (21+2+3+...+15) / 215
= – (21+2+3+...+15) (1 + 1/2 + 1/22 + … + 1/215)
= – (2120) (1 – (1/2)16) / (1 – 1/2) = – (2120) (1 – 1/216) / (1/2) = – (2121) (1 – 1/216)
= – 2121 + 2121 – 16 = – 2121 + 2105 = required coefficient of x15 .
Here note that 1 + 1/2 + 1/22 + … + 1/215 is a GP whose first term is 1, common ratio is 1/2 and
number of terms is 16.