The Binomial Theorem
The Binomial Theorem
Pascal’s triangle
(a + b)0 = 1
(a + b)1 = 1a + 1b
1 1
1 2 1
1 3 3 1
1 4 6 4 1
The reader should note that every coefficient in the table is obtained from the two on either side
of it in the row above. In this way the next line can be obtained.
For example,
1 3 3 1
1 4 6 4 1
1 5 10 10 5 1
There are points to note about the expansion of (a + b)n and the reader should verify them for the
cases n = 2,3,4 in the expansions obtained so far.
(a) Reading from either end of each row, the coefficients are the same.
(b) There are (n+1) terms.
(c) Each term is of degree n.
(d) The coefficients are obtained from the row in Pascal’s triangle.
Example 1
Solution
We shall get (7+1) terms, i.e. 8 terms. The coefficients are picked from the 8th row of Pascal’s
triangle and each term is of degree 7, i.e.
From 1 5 10 10 5 1
1 6 15 20 15 6 1
1 7 21 35 35 21 7 1
Example 2.
Solution
Therefore
Example 3
1
Expand (2𝑥 + 3)3 in descending powers of x.
Solution
1
Let a = 2x and b = 3.
Therefore,
1 3 1 1 1
(2𝑥 + ) = (2𝑥)3 + 3(2𝑥)2 x + 3 (2𝑥)x +
3 3 9 27
2 1
= 8𝑥 3 + 4𝑥 2 + 3 𝑥 + 27.
Example 4
Use Pascal’s triangle to obtain the value of (1.002)4, correct to six places of decimals.
Solution
1.002 = 1 + 0.002
1, 4, 6, 4, 1
The reader should not that the last two terms in the expansion could be ignored because they
don’t make any difference to the answer, correct to six places of decimals.
Exercise 1.
This exercise is intended to give the reader practice in using Pascal’s triangle, therefore
calculators should not be used in the numerical questions.
1. Expand the following;
𝑥 2
(a) (x + y)5, (b) (x+2y)3 (c) (2x+3y)4, (d ) (4x+1)3. (e) (2 + 𝑥)4
2. Write down the expansion of (2 + 𝑥)5 in a ascending powers of x. Taking the first three terms
of the expansion, put x = 0.001, and find the value of (2.001)5 correct to five places of decimals.
1 4
3. Write down the expansion of (1 + 4 𝑥) . Taking the first three terms of the expansion, put
x = 0.1, and find the value of (1.025)4, correct to three places of decimals.
4. Expand (2-x)6 in ascending powers of x. Taking x=0.002, and using the first three terms of the
expansion, find the value of (1.998)6 as accurately as you can.
1 5
5. Expand (2𝑥 + 2𝑥) in descending powers of x.
4 4
6. Simplify (√5 + √3) − (√5 − √3) .
1 5
7. Write down the expansion of (a - b)5 and use the result to find the value of (9 2) correct to
the nearest 100.
8. Expand (x + 2)5 and (x - 2)4. Obtain the coefficient of x5 in the product of the expansions.
If n is a positive integer
When a few terms of an expansion are required the theorem is used in the form:
𝑛(𝑛−1) 𝑛(𝑛−1)(𝑛−2) n-3 3
(a + b)n = an + nan-1b + an-2b2+ a b +-----------+bn, since
2! 3!
𝑛! 𝑛(𝑛−1)!
nc1= (𝑛−1)!1! = (𝑛−1)! 1 ! = 𝑛
𝑛! 𝑛(𝑛−1)(𝑛−2)! 𝑛(𝑛−1)
nc2= (𝑛−2)!2! = (𝑛−2)! 2 !
= 2!
𝑛! 𝑛(𝑛−1)(𝑛−2)(𝑛−3)! 𝑛(𝑛−1)(𝑛−2)
nc3= (𝑛−3)!3! = (𝑛−3)! 3 !
= 3!
Example 5
Solution
15𝑥14𝑥13
= x 312 x (-2)3
3𝑥2𝑥1
= -1, 934,445,240.
Example 6
𝑥
Write down and simplify the 5th term in the expansion of (2 − 2)12.
Solution
𝑥
The term in (2)8 (– 2)4 is the 5th term by binomial theorem,
𝑥
5th term = 12C4 (28) (– 2)4
12! (−𝑥)4
x28
8!3! 24
12𝑥11𝑥10𝑥9𝑥8!
= 𝑥24 𝑥4
8!𝑥43𝑥2𝑥1
= 11x10x9x23x4
= 7920x4
Qn: Obtain the four terms of the expansion of (1.005)10, correct to four decimal places.
Example 7
Obtain the expansion of (1+x+x2)6, as far as the term in x3
Solution
Exercise 2
1.Write down the terms indicated, in the expansions of the following, and simplify your answers.
1 𝑥
(a) (x + 3)7, 5th term, (b) (2t - 2)12 term in t7 , (c)(2-2)12, 4th term, (d) (2x+y)11, term in x3
2. Write down, and simplify, the coefficients of the terms indicated, in the expansions of the
following:
3 1 1
(a) (4 + 4 𝑥)6, term in x3, (b) (2x-3)7, term in x5, (c) (2 𝑡 − 2)10, term in t4.
3. Write down the coefficients of the terms indicated, in the expansions of the following in
ascending powers of x:
3 8
(a) (1+ x)16, 3rd term, (b) (2 + 2 𝑥) , 5th term, (c) (5 - 4x)6, 3rd term.
1 8 1 6 1 10
(a) (𝑥 − ) , (b)(2𝑥 2 − ) , (d) (2𝑥 + )
𝑥 2𝑥 𝑥
5. Find the ratio of the term in x5 to the term in x6, in the expansion of (2x+3)20
6. Write down the first four terms of the expansions of the following, in ascending powers of x:
1
(a) (𝑥 + 2 𝑥) 9, (b) (1 - x)11.
7. Use the binomial theorem to find the values of (2.001)10, correct to six significant figures,
8. Expand the following as far as the terms in x3
Convergent Series
Consider a geometrical progression with first term 1 and common ratio x, that is,
1 + x + x2 + x3 +---------+ xn-1
𝑎(1−𝑟 𝑛 )
Sn = 1−𝑟
1−𝑥 𝑛
Sn = 1+ x + x2 + x3 +-----+ xn-1 =
1−𝑥
A series of terms, whose sum approaches a finite value as the number of terms is increased
indefinitely is called a convergent series and the finite value is called its sum to infinity.
Thus 1+ x + x2 + x3 +---+ xn-1 is a convergent series, provided -1<x<1 and its sum to infinity is
1
1−𝑥
Example 8
1
Use the binomial theorem to expand(1 − 2x)2 in ascending powers of x, as far as the term in x3,
and state the values of x for which the expansion is valid.
Solution
1 1 1 1 1
1
1 ( −1)(−2𝑥)2 ( −1)( −2)(−2𝑥)3
(1 − 2x)2 = 1 + 2 (−2𝑥) + 2 2
+ 2 2 2
+------
2! 3!
1 1 1 1 3
(− ) (− )(− )(−8𝑥3)+ −−−
2 2 2 2 2 2
=1 − 𝑥 + 4𝑥 +
2 6
1 1
= 1- x - 2 𝑥 2 − 2 𝑥 3 + − − − −
Exercise 3
3. Use the binomial theorem to find the values of the √0.998, correct to six places of decimals,
4. Find the first four terms of the expansion of (1-8x) ½ in ascending powers of x. Substitute
1
x =100 and obtain the value of √23 correct to five significant figures.
5. Expand (1-x) 1/3 in ascending powers of x as far as the fourth term. By taking the first two
1
terms of the expansion and substituting x = 1000 find the value of 3√37, correct to 6s.f.
1
6. Find the middle term in the expansion of (6x+3 𝑦)10,
7. (a) Obtain the first four terms in the expansion of (1+2x+3x2)6 in ascending powers of x.
(b) Find the first four terms in the expansion of (i)(1-x+2x2)5, (ii) (1+x)-4 , in ascending
powers of x.
8. Find the first four terms in the expansion of the following in ascending powers of x.
𝑥+2 1−𝑥 1+𝑥
(𝑎) (b) (c) √(1−𝑥)
(1+𝑥)2, √(1+𝑥)
1
9(a) Write down the first four terms of the expansion of (2 + 4 𝑥)10 in ascending powers of x.
hence find the values of 2.02510, correct to the nearest whole number.
(b) Obtain the first four terms of the expansion of (1+8x) ½ in ascending powers of x. By
1
putting x = 100, obtain the value of √3, correct to five places of decimals.
10. Show that, if x is small enough for its cube and higher powers to be neglected,
1−𝑥 𝑥2
√( ) =1−𝑥+
1+𝑥 2
1 83
By putting x = 8 , show that √7 ≈ 2 128.