MacLaurin and Taylor

Series

Advanced Engineering Mathematics

MATH115
MacLaurin Series

At x0 = 0, the power series expression

∞

𝑦 = ෍ 𝑎𝑛 𝑥 − 𝑥0 𝑛

𝑛=0
becomes,
∞

𝑦 = ෍ 𝑎𝑛 𝑥 𝑛

𝑛=0

𝑦 = 𝑎0 + 𝑎1 𝑥 + 𝑎2 𝑥 2 + 𝑎3 𝑥 3 + 𝑎4 𝑥 4 + …
MacLaurin Series
𝑦 = 𝑎0 + 𝑎1 𝑥 + 𝑎2 𝑥 2 + 𝑎3 𝑥 3 + 𝑎4 𝑥 4 + ⋯ @𝑥 =0
𝑦(0) = 𝑎0
𝑎0 = 𝑦(0)

𝑦′ = 𝑎1 + 2𝑎2 𝑥 + 3𝑎3 𝑥 2 + 4𝑎4 𝑥 3 + … @𝑥 =0

𝑦′(0) = 𝑎1
𝑎1 = 𝑦′(0)

𝑦′′ = 2𝑎2 + 6𝑎3 𝑥 + 12𝑎4 𝑥 2 + … @𝑥 =0

𝑦′′(0) = 2𝑎2
𝑦′′(0)
𝑎2 =
2
MacLaurin Series

𝑦′′′ = 6𝑎3 + 24𝑎4 𝑥 + … @𝑥 =0

𝑦′′′(0) = 6𝑎3
𝑦′′′(0)
𝑎3 =
6

𝑦 𝑖𝑣 = 24𝑎4 + 120𝑎5 𝑥 + ⋯ @𝑥 =0
𝑦 𝑖𝑣 (0) = 24𝑎4
𝑦 𝑖𝑣 (0)
𝑎4 =
24
MacLaurin Series

At x0 = 0, the power series expression

𝑦 = 𝑎0 + 𝑎1 𝑥 + 𝑎2 𝑥 2 + 𝑎3 𝑥 3 + 𝑎4 𝑥 4 + …
Replacing arbitrary constants 𝑎0 , 𝑎1 , 𝑎2 , … , 𝑎𝑛 with y and its
derivatives, the power series expression becomes
𝑦 ′′ 0 𝑦 ′′′ 0 𝑦 𝑖𝑣 0
𝑦 = 𝑦 0 + 𝑦′ 0 𝑥 + 𝑥2 + 𝑥3 + 𝑥4 + …
2 6 24
∞
𝑦𝑛 0 𝑛
𝑦=෍ 𝑥
or 𝑛!
𝑛=0
Example 1
Define the McLaurin series, up to fifth degree, of the function :
1
𝑦=
1−𝑥
Solution:
Step 1: Find the value of y and its derivative at x=0.
1
𝑦= = (1 − 𝑥)−1 𝑦 0 =1
1−𝑥
𝑦 ′ = − 1 − 𝑥 −2 −1 = 1 − 𝑥 −2
𝑦′ 0 = 1
𝑦 ′′ = −2 1 − 𝑥 −3 −1 = 2 1 − 𝑥 −3 𝑦′′ 0 = 2
𝑦 ′′′ = −6 1 − 𝑥 −4 −1 = 6 1 − 𝑥 −4 𝑦′′′ 0 = 6
𝑦 𝑖𝑣 = −24 1 − 𝑥 −5 −1 = 24 1 − 𝑥 −5 𝑦 𝑖𝑣 0 = 24
𝑦 𝑣 = −24 1 − 𝑥 −6 −1 = 120 1 − 𝑥 −6 𝑦 𝑣 0 = 120
Example 1
Step 2: Substitute the values obtained in step 1 in the MacLaurin series form.
𝑦 ′′ 0 2 𝑦 ′′′ 0 3 𝑦 𝑖𝑣 0 4 𝑦 𝑣 (0) 5
𝑦 = 𝑦 0 + 𝑦′ 0 𝑥 + 𝑥 + 𝑥 + 𝑥 + 𝑥 +⋯
2 6 24 120
2 2 6 3 24 4 120 5
𝑦 =1+ 𝑥+ 𝑥 + 𝑥 + 𝑥 + 𝑥 +⋯
2 6 24 120
Step 3: Simplify the expression, if possible.

𝑦 = 1 + 𝑥 + 𝑥2 + 𝑥3 + 𝑥4 + 𝑥5 + ⋯
Example 2

Define the McLaurin series, up to fifth degree, of the function :

𝑦 = 𝑒𝑥
Solution:
Step 1: Find the value of y and its derivative at x=0.
𝑦 = 𝑒𝑥 𝑦 0 =1
𝑦′ = 𝑒 𝑥 𝑦′ 0 = 1
𝑦 ′′ = 𝑒 𝑥 𝑦′′ 0 = 1
𝑦 ′′′ = 𝑒 𝑥 𝑦′′′ 0 = 1
𝑦 𝑖𝑣 = 𝑒 𝑥 𝑦 𝑖𝑣 0 = 1
𝑦𝑣 = 𝑒 𝑥 𝑦𝑣 0 = 1
Example 2
Step 2: Substitute the values obtained in step 1 in the MacLaurin series form.
𝑦 ′′ 0 2 𝑦 ′′′ 0 3 𝑦 𝑖𝑣 0 4 𝑦 𝑣 (0) 5
𝑦 = 𝑦 0 + 𝑦′ 0 𝑥 + 𝑥 + 𝑥 + 𝑥 + 𝑥 +⋯
2 6 24 120

1 2 1 3 1 4 1 5
𝑦 =1+ 𝑥+ 𝑥 + 𝑥 + 𝑥 + 𝑥 +⋯
2 6 24 120
Taylor Series

A general expression of the MacLaurin Series where the function f(x)

is described as
∞
𝑦 𝑛 𝑥0 𝑛
𝑦=෍ 𝑥 − 𝑥0
𝑛!
𝑛=0

𝑦 ′′ 𝑥0
𝑦 = 𝑦 𝑥0 + 𝑦′ 𝑥0 𝑥 − 𝑥0 + 𝑥 − 𝑥0 2 +
or 2
𝑦 ′′′ 𝑥0 3
𝑦 𝑖𝑣
𝑥0 4
𝑥 − 𝑥0 + 𝑥− 𝑥0 + …
6 24
Example 1
Define the Taylor series of the given function up to the fourth degree:
𝜋
𝑦 = cos 𝑥 , x0 =
3
Solution:
Step 1: Find the value of y and its derivative at x = x0.
𝑦 = cos 𝑥 𝑦 𝜋Τ3 = 1/2
𝑦 ′ = −sin 𝑥 𝑦′ 𝜋Τ3 = − 3Τ2
𝑦 ′′ = − cos 𝑥 𝑦 ′′ 𝜋Τ3 = −1/2
𝑦 ′′′ = sin 𝑥 𝑦′′′ 𝜋Τ3 = 3Τ2
𝑦 𝑖𝑣 = cos 𝑥 𝑦 𝑖𝑣 𝜋Τ3 = 1/2
Example 1
Step 2: Substitute the value of 𝑥0 in the Taylor series form.
𝑦 ′′ 𝑥0 𝑦 ′′′ 𝑥0 𝑦 𝑖𝑣 𝑥0
𝑦 = 𝑦 𝑥0 + 𝑦′ 𝑥0 𝑥 − 𝑥0 + 2
𝑥 − 𝑥0 + 3
𝑥 − 𝑥0 + 𝑥 − 𝑥0 4 + …
2 6 24
′′ 𝜋 ′′′ 𝜋 𝑖𝑣 𝜋
𝜋 𝜋 𝜋 𝑦 𝜋 2 𝑦 𝜋 3 𝑦 𝜋 4
𝑦=𝑦 + 𝑦′ 𝑥− + 3 𝑥− + 3 𝑥− + 3 𝑥− + …
3 3 3 2 3 6 3 24 3
Step 3: Substitute the values obtained in step 1 in the Tylor series form in Step 2
1 2
3 3
1 4
1 3 𝜋 2 𝜋 2 𝜋 2 𝜋
𝑦= − 𝑥− − 𝑥− + 𝑥− + 𝑥− + …
2 2 3 2 3 6 3 24 3
Step 4: Simplify, if possible

1 3 𝜋 1 𝜋 2 3 𝜋 3 1 𝜋 4
𝑦= − 𝑥− − 𝑥− + 𝑥− + 𝑥− + …
2 2 3 4 3 12 3 48 3
Example 2
Define the Taylor series of the given function up to the fourth degree:
1
𝑦= , x0 = 1
𝑥

Solution:
Step 1: Find the value of y and its derivative at x = x0.
1
𝑦= = 𝑥 −1 𝑦 1 =1
𝑥
𝑦 ′ = −𝑥 −2 𝑦 ′ 1 = −1
𝑦 ′′ = 2𝑥 −3 𝑦 ′′ 1 = 2
𝑦 ′′′ = −6𝑥 −4 𝑦 ′′′ 1 = −6
𝑦 𝑖𝑣 = 24𝑥 −5 𝑦 𝑖𝑣 1 = 24
Example 2
Step 2: Substitute the value of 𝑥0 in the Taylor series form.
𝑦 ′′ 𝑥0 𝑦 ′′′ 𝑥0 𝑦 𝑖𝑣 𝑥0
𝑦 = 𝑦 𝑥0 + 𝑦′ 𝑥0 𝑥 − 𝑥0 + 𝑥 − 𝑥0 2 + 𝑥 − 𝑥0 3 + 𝑥 − 𝑥0 4 + …
2 6 24
′′ ′′′ 𝑖𝑣
′
𝑦 1 2+
𝑦 1 3+
𝑦 1 4
𝑦 =𝑦 1 +𝑦 1 𝑥−1 + 𝑥−1 𝑥−1 𝑥−1 + …
2 6 24
Step 3: Substitute the values obtained in step 1 in the Tylor series form in Step 2
2 2
6 3
24 4
𝑦 =1− 𝑥−1 + 𝑥−1 − 𝑥−1 + 𝑥−1 + …
2 6 24
Step 4: Simplify, if possible

𝑦 =1− 𝑥−1 + 𝑥−1 2 − 𝑥−1 3 + 𝑥−1 4 + …

END