Last year, you learned a lot about quadratic

functions, and learned the “FOIL” method in order

to expand a product of two binomials. In this
process, you would have learned a “quick” method
to expanding out a binomial squared. In this
lesson, we are going to expand (haha…get it?) on
that knowledge and learn how to expand any
binomial raised to any power. This is called
BINOMIAL EXPANSION, and will rely on a very handy tool called PASCAL’S TRIANGLE.

The “Fast Method”

The fast method for expanding out a quadratic binomial is dictated by QR CODES
the following pattern: Binomial Theorem
“Square the first, double the product, square the last”

(a + b) → a + 2ab + b
2 2 2

More Secrets of Pascal’s Triangle

 Example 1 – Reviewing the “Fast Method”
Expand each of the following quadratic binomials using the “Fast Method” (i.e. do not use
FOIL).

a. ( x + 2 y)2 b. (4a + 5b) 2 c. (2 p − 3q)2

Example 2 – Pascal’s Triangle

Write out rows 0 – 8 of Pascal’s Triangle below.
 Example 3 – Binomial Cubed
Observe the following result of cubing a binomial:

(a + b)3 = a3 + 3a 2b + 3ab2 + b3

What relationship does this expansion have to PASCAL’S TRIANGLE? It may be helpful to
write out several rows of Pascal’s Triangle below.

Example 4 – Applying Binomial Expansion

Expand and simplify the following binomials.

a. (2 x + y)3

b. ( x − 3 y)4

c. (3a − 2b)5