Binomial Theorem

The Binomial Theorem is used to expand out brackets of the form (a + b) n , where n is a whole number. n 0 1 2 3 4 (a + b ) = 1
0

( a + b) n (a + b)1 = a + b

Coefficients 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 3 3 1

(a + b) = a + 2ab + b
2 2 4 4 3

(a + b)3 = a3 + 3a 2 b + 3ab2 + b3 (a + b) = a + 4a b + 6a b + 4ab + b

2 2 3 4

1 4 6 4 1

Note 1: The coefficients in these expansions form Pascals Triangle. These numbers can also be found 7 using the C button on a calculator. For example, the coefficients for the expansion of ( a + b ) are:
n r

7 7

C0 = 1 C4 = 35

C1 = 7 C5 = 21

C2 = 21 C6 = 7

7 7

C3 = 35 C7 = 1

Note 2: As the power of a decreases by 1, the power of b increases by 1. In each term, when you add together the powers of a and b together you get n. So,

( a + b)

= a 7 + 7 a 6b + 21a5 b2 + 35a4 b3 + 35a3 b4 + 21a2 b5 + 7ab6 + b7

Example 1: 4 Find the expansion of ( 3x + y ) . Solution: The coefficients are 1, 4, 6, 4, 1 (from Pascals triangle). The expansion is: 4 ( 3x + y ) = 1(3x)4 + 4(3x)3 y + 6(3x)2 y2 + 4(3x) y3 + y4 = 1 81x 4 + 4 27 x3 y + 6 9 x2 y2 + 12 xy3 + y4 = 81x 4 + 108 x3 y + 54 x2 y 2 + 12 xy3 + y4 Example 2: 10 Find the first 4 terms in the expansion ( 2a 3b ) . Solution: 10 First note that ( 2a 3b ) = (2a + ( 3b))10 The first 4 coefficients from Pascals triangle are 10 10 C0 = 1 C1 = 10 So 10 ( 2a 3b ) = (2a + (3b))10

10

C2 = 45

10

C3 = 120 .

= 1(2a )10 + 10(2a)9 (3b) + 45(2a )8 (3b)2 + 120(2a )7 (3b)3 = 1024a10 + 10 512a9 3b + 45 256a8 9b2 + 120 128a7 27b3 = 1024a10 15360a9 b + 103680a8 b2 414720a7 b3

Example 3: 1 Find the coefficient of x y in the expansion of x + 3 y 2 Solution: 8 The value from Pascals triangle is C4 = 70. The actual term is 4 1 1 70 x (3 y ) 4 = 70 x4 81 y4 16 2
4 4 8

5670 4 4 x y 16 2835 4 4 = x y 8 = Revision Questions 1. 2. 3. Find the expansion of (3x y)5 Find the coefficient of y2 in the expansion of (2y + 7)3. a) Show that (2 + x) 4 = 16 + 32 x + 24 x2 + 8 x3 + x4 . b) Find the values of x for which ( 2 + x ) = 16 + 16 x + x 4 .
4

4.

Find the non-zero value of b if the coefficient of x 2 in the expansion of ( b + 2 x ) is equal to

6

the coefficient of x 5 in the expansion of ( 2 + bx ) .

8