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will learn:
how to expand an
Binomial coefficient
8
The relevant term is 3 ( )5 ( )3
Write down the required term in the
n
form (a ) (b )r with a = x, b = y,
r
hint
n = 8, r = 3 exam sk
s ti o n s might a e
8 Que her th
= 56 give eit st the
Calculate the coefficient and apply 3 you to ju
term or e sure
whole a k
the powers to the bracketed terms ( x )5 x5 nt. M
coefficie nswer the
( y )3 y3 that yo
ua
n!
questio
The term is 56 x 5 y 3
Combine the elements to calculate
The coefficient is 56
the coefficient
8 6
Write down the required term in the form The relevant term is ( ) (3 )
2 2
2
n
r
(a ) (b )r with a = x, b = 3y2, n = 8, r = 2
8
Calculate the coefficient and apply the powers = 28
2
to the bracketed terms
( x )6 x6
(3 y 2 )2 9y 4
The term is 28 x 6 9 y 4 5 x6 y 4
252
The expansion is
Write down each term in the
1( ) 5 ( 2 x ) ( 3 y ) 2 x ) ( 3 y )
10 ( 2x
5 4 1 3 2
n
form (a ) (b )r with + 10 ( 2 )2 ( 3 y )3 + 5 ( )1 ( y )4 + 1( 3 y )5
r
a = 2x, b = 3y, n = 5
Coefficients: 1, 5, 10, 10, 5, 1
t
exam hin
mistake
A common A question may ask for a binomial expansion where both of the
that
is to assume terms in the binomial expression contain the same variable. You
o f each
the powers
rrespond can use the rules of exponents to determine which term of the
variable co
of r in the expansion is needed.
to the value
expansion.
7 7 r 14 2
= ( ) x ( )r x r
r
7 7 r
= ( ) ( )r x 14 3r
r
7
Write down the required term in the The relevant term is
3
(2 ) ( 1 )3
2 4
n
form r (a ) (b )r with a = 2x2, b = x 1,
n = 7, r = 3
( )3 = x 3
Combine the elements to calculate the The term is 35 16 x 8 ( 3
) = 560 x 5
coefficient The coefficient is 560
exam hint
Dont forget that if there is a negative sign it must stay part of the coefficient of the term it is acting
upon. Lots of people fall into this trap!
Applying this process in reverse is always quite tricky, since in Remind yourself
of Key point 1.6 in
general you cannot undo the operation. So, you must use
n chapter 1.
r
n
the formula for , seen in chapter 1, to rewrite it as a polynomial r =
n n!
.
r r !(n r )!
Required term is
Write down the required term in n n 2
(1) (3 )2
2
n
the form
r
(a ) (b )r with a = 1,
b = 3x, r = 2
(3 )2 9x2
9 ( 1)
Combine these and equate to the x 2 189
9x2
2
given information
Compare coefficients 9 ( 1)
= 189
2
9n29n = 378
n n 42 = 0
2
(n )()(n + ) = 0
n = 7 or n = 6
but n > 0 n = 7
Exercise 8B
1. (a) Find the coefficient of xy3 in:
(2 x 3y) ( 5 x + y )4
4
(i) (ii)
(b) Find the term in x 3 y 4 in:
(x 2y) (y 2x )
7 7
(i) (ii)
(c) Find the coefficient of a b3 in:
5
1
(17a 3b )
5
(i) 2a b (ii)
2
of x.
3. (a) Fully expand and simplify:
(i) (2 x )5 (ii) (3 + x )6
) (2 x ) .
4
Use the Binomial theorem to expand and simplify (
b) (a b ) .
6
Find the coefficient of a b3 in the expansion of (
a ( a + b ) 5b ( a + b )
6 6
Split the product into two parts, and
treat each separately
Decide which term from each For a 4 b 3 , we need a3b 3 from the first bracket
expansion is needed to make a4b3 ( 3 3 4 3
) and a 4 b 2 from the second
( 4 2 4 3
)
6 6
Calculate the coefficient and apply = 20 = 15
3 2
the powers to the bracketed terms
( a)3 a3 ( a )4 a4
(b )3 b3 (b )2 b2
Exercise 8C
1. (a) (i) Find the coefficient of x 2 y 5 in the expansion of
( x y )( x + y )6.
(ii) Find the coefficient of x 5 in the expansion of
(1 3x )(
)(1 + x )7.
(b) (i) Find the coefficient of x 6 in the expansion of
(1 2 )(1 + x )5.
(ii) Find the coefficient of x 6 in the expansion of
(1 2 )(1 + x )7.
8D Binomial expansions as
approximations
One of the main applications of the binomial expansion is in
Calculators and calculating approximate values of powers and roots. When x is
computers use a very small value, high powers of x become increasingly small,
binomial expansions and so they have little impact on the value of the total sum, even
to work out powers when multiplied by the binomial coefficient. For this reason,
and roots. using only the first few terms gives a good approximation to the
total value of the sum.
Write down each term in the form The first 3 terms are
n 1( 2) + 5 ( 2) ( x ) + 10 ( 2) ( x )
5 4 1 3 2
r
(a ) (b)r
with a , b = x , n = 5
Exercise 8D
1. (a) Find the first 4 terms in the expansion of (1 5x ) .
7
Summary
A binomial expression is one that contains two terms, e.g., a + b.
The binomial coefficient, n , is the coefficient of the term containing a br in the expansion
r
of (a b ) .
n
(a b)n = an + 1 a b + ++ r a br + + bn
n n
The coefficient of individual terms of a binomial expansion can be found by considering the
powers of the algebraic components and using the formula for the rth term:
n n r r
(a ) (b)
r
n n!
By reversing this process and using the polynomial form of r , you can also find
r !(n r )!
the value of n if you have a term of the binomial expansion.
Approximations for powers and roots can be made using the first few terms of a binomial
expansion (a bx ) , valid when bx is very much less than one, meaning that terms with higher
n
Without using a calculator, find the value of (1.002)10 correct to 8 decimal places.
Write down each term in the form The first 4 terms are
n 1( 1) + 10 ( 1) ( 2 x ) + 45 ( 1) ( 2 x ) + 120 (1) ( 2 x )
10 9 1 8 2 7 3
r (a ) (b )
r
with a , b = 2x , n = 10
Apply the powers to the bracketed The first 4 terms are
terms and multiply through 1 20 180 x 2 + 960 x 3
Short questions
1. Find the coefficient of x5 in the expansion of (2 x ) .
12
[5 marks]
2. a = 2 2 . Using the binomial theorem or otherwise, express a in the 5
form m + n 2 . [5 marks]
3. (a) Find the expansion of (2 + x)5, giving your answer in ascending
powers of x.
(b) By letting x = 0.01 or otherwise, find the exact value of 2.015. [7 marks]
( IB Organization 2000)
4
2 2
5. Fully expand and simplify x . [6 marks]
x 7
6. The coefficient of x in the expansion of x + 2 is . Find the possible
1 7
ax 3
values of a. [3 marks]
( IB Organization 2004)
Long questions
1. (a) Sketch the graph of ( x + 2) . 3
2. f ( x ) = (1 + x ) and g ( x ) = (2 + x ) .
5 4
(a) Write down the vertical asymptote and axes intercepts of the
f (x)
graph y = .
g (x)
(b) Write down binomial expansions for f x) x and g (x ).
f (x) ax 3 + 50 x 2 + 85x + 49
(c) (i) Show that =x k+ , where k and a
g (x ) g (x )
are constants to be found.
f (x)
(d) Sketch the curve y = for 10 x 10 . [12 marks]
g (x)
( )
3
3. (a) Write 1 2 in the form p + q 2 where p q Z .
( )
n
(b) Write down the general term in the binomial expansion of 1 2 .
( ) ( )
n n
(c) Hence show that 1 2 + 1 2 is always an integer.
( )
n
(d) What is the smallest value of n such that 1 2 is within 109 of a
whole number? [12 marks]
an x r + x r +1 xx r + 2 + + x n
r +1
(a) Show that the ratio of is a.
n r
(b) If a = 1 show that the expansion will contain two consecutive terms
with the same coefficient as long as n is odd.
(c) Using the result of part (a) deduce an expression for
Prove that there are no values for a such that in the expansion of (a + x ) ,
n
(d)
n N, three consecutive terms have the same coefficient. [16 marks]