Lesson plan: Introducing the binomial expansion

This is the first of two lessons. In the TAM resources there is also the follow-up lesson plan: The binomial expansion and n Cr

Aim: To be able to expand expressions of the form  a  b  where n is a positive integer using Pascal’s triangle and to know why Pascal’s
n

triangle gives the correct coefficients.

You might choose to skip the first two sections below. Ensure your timings allow sufficient time for practising questions as indicate below.

Explain that the central x by x square has been surrounded by another row of 1 by 1 squares. How many
squares are needed to do this? Show how this illustrates the identity  x  2   x 2  4 x  4 .
2

What does the second diagram show, where just two sides have been extended?  x  1  x 2  2 x  1 .
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Of course here you assumed x is positive but, as you know, these identities are true even if x is negative.
Now we’re going to do the same thing in 3D…

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 Imagine a cube of side length x . We’re going to surround it by another layer of cubes.
 First cover each face using x 2 cubes on each face. How many cubes have you used? [ 6x 2 ]
 Now there are gaps along each edge. How many edges are there? [12]
 Now you need x cubes to fill each edge in. How many cubes have you used at this stage? [ 12x ]
 Finally there are gaps at the corners. So how many cubes do you need to complete the layer? [8]
 How does all this help you to explain this identity?  x  2
 x3  6 x 2  12 x  8
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You might want to repeat with the initial cube being in the corner of a room so only three faces are accessible. Or
surround the cube in either position with two new layers.

Rather than take the approach above you might want to use this diagram, with the internal yellow cube having
side length x , to discuss  x  1  x3  3x 2  3x  1 .
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In today’s lesson we are thinking about expanding expressions of the form  a  b  .

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 By hand expand  a  b    a  b  a  b   a 2  2ab  b 2 and show how this can be used in the expansion of
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 a  b   a  b   a 2  2ab  b 2   a  a 2  2ab  b 2   b  a 2  2ab  b 2   a 3  3a 2b  3ab 2  b3 .

Explain how the expanded form starts with high powers of a and, as these decrease, the powers of b increase.
Each term in the expansion of  a  b  includes three terms: aaa, aab, abb, bbb .
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Students should expand  a  b  and  a  b  making use of previous results and with terms in the right order.
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Display Pascal’s triangle and explain how it is generated: adding pairs of numbers on one row to get the entry
below on the next row. Compare the coefficients in expanded forms of  a  b  , n  2,3, 4,5 with relevant rows.
n

THE BIG QUESTION: Will the coefficients in the expansions of  a  b  ,  a  b  ,... continue to follow Pascal’s
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triangle? We’ll now show that they must.


By hand  a  b    a  b  a 3  3a 2b  3ab 2  b3
4

 a 1a3  3a 2b  3ab2  1b   b 1a
3 3
 3a 2b  3ab 2  1b3 
Show how this links with the diagram: for example point to the 4ab3 term in the expanded form and show how it
comes from the terms in the row above, multiplying b3 by a and 3ab 2 by b . So the coefficient of ab3 is found by
adding the 1 and 3 in the row above. Repeat for at least one more term and generate terms of  a  b  .
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So, knowing that one row gives the correct coefficients means that the next row must too, and so on ad infinitum.
Students write out the first seven rows of Pascal’s triangle (once complete display it again to check) then use it to
expand  x  y  , 1  x  , 1  x  and  2  x  . Once complete display the correct expansions. Explain that
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sometimes you might be asked just for, say, the coefficient of x 3 - can you see a quick way to do that?
Textbook questions. You should aim to spend about 30 minutes on these. (e.g. from the Hodder Year 1/AS
textbook Exercise 9.1 questions 1,2,4-9.)
Think about  2  x   32  80 x  80 x 2  40 x3  10 x 4  x5 . How can you use this to find:
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2  x  32  80 x  80 x 2  40 x3  10 x 4  x 5
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… the expansion of  2  x  ?
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2.15  … an approximate value of 2.15 ? …. the tens and units digits in 125 ?

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x by x

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x by x

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 Pascal’s Triangle

1 1

1 2 1

1 3 3 1

1 4 6 4 1

1 5 10 10 5 1

1 6 15 20 15 6 1

1 7 21 35 35 21 7 1

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 a  b
a b a b

a2  2ab  b2
a b a b a b

a3  3a 2b  3ab2  b3
a b
a b a b a b

a4  4a3b  6a 2b2  4ab3  b4

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 x  y 
4

1  x  
6

1  x  
6

2  x 
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 x  y  1  x 4  4  x 3  y  6  x 2  y 2  4  x  y 3  1 y 4
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 x 4  4 x3 y  6x2 y 2  4 xy 3  y4

1  x   11  x   6 1  x   15 1  x  20 1  x   15 1  x   6 1  x   11  x 

 1  6x  15 x 2  20 x 3  15 x 4  6 x5  x6

1  x   1  x   6   x   15   x   20   x   15   x   6   x   1  x 
6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

 1  6x  15 x 2  20 x 3  15 x 4  6 x5  x6

2  x  1 25  5  24  x  10  23  x 2  10  22  x 3  5  2  x 4  1 x 5
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 32  80 x  80 x 2  40 x 3  10 x 4  1x 5

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        
5 2 3 4 5
2 x 32 80 x 80 x 40 x 10 x x

2.1 
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