<s>[INST] Finding Polynomial Equations for $1^4 + 2^4 + 3^4 + \ldots n^4$ Find a polynomial expression for
$$ 1^4 + 2^4 + 3^4 + ... + n^4 $$
I know you have to use the big theorem but I can't figure out how you would start to compute the differences. Suggestions?
 [/INST] Even though this might be too much for simple task you want (you can assume the polynomial of fifth degree and calculate coefficients) I think it is worth mentioning that there is a general formula for finding polynomial of sum of $p$-th powers $1^p+2^p+\dots+n^p$, and it is called Faulhaber's formula.
In short 
$$1^p+2^p+\dots+n^p = \frac{1}{p+1} \sum_{j=0}^{p}(-1)^j\binom{p+1}{j}B_j n^{p+1-j}$$
where $B_j$ are called Bernoulli numbers, which you can compute for example as
$$
B_n = \sum_{k=0}^{n}\frac{1}{k+1}\sum_{r=0}^{k}(-1)^r \binom{k}{r} r^n
$$
giving first couple values $1,-1/2$,$1/6$,$0$,$-1/30$,$\dots$.
So in your case this becomes
\begin{align}
1^4+2^4+\dots+n^4 &= \frac{1}{5} \sum_{j=0}^{4}(-1)^j\binom{5}{j}B_j n^{5-j}\\
&= \frac{1}{5} ((-1)^0\binom{5}{0}B_j n^{5}+(-1)^1\binom{5}{1}B_1 n^{5-1}\\
&+(-1)^2\binom{5}{2}B_2 n^{5-2}+(-1)^3\binom{5}{3}B_3 n^{5-3}+(-1)^4\binom{5}{4}B_4 n^{5-4})\\
&= \frac{1}{5} (B_0 n^{5}-5 B_1 n^{4}+10 B_2 n^{3}-10 B_3 n^{2}+5 B_4 n)\\
&= \frac{1}{5} (n^{5}+\frac{5}{2}n^{4}+\frac{10}{6} n^{3}-\frac{5}{30} n)\\
\end{align}
</s>