BINOMIAL THEOREM

TOPIC 8
OBJECTIVES:

1. Illustrate Pascal’s triangle in the expansion

of (𝑥 + 𝑦)𝑛 for small positive integral values
of n;
2. Prove the Binomial Theorem;
3. Determine any term of (𝑥 + 𝑦)𝑛 , where n is a
positive integer, without expanding; and
4. Solve problems using mathematical induction
and the binomial theorem.
THE BINOMIAL THEOREM
The Binomial Theorem can be restated as
follows: 𝑛
𝑛
𝑛 𝑟 𝑛−3
(𝑎+𝑏) = ෍ 𝑎 𝑏 , 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑎 ∈ ℝ, 𝑏 ∈ ℝ and c > 0
𝑟
𝑟=0
𝑛
The notation of is referred to as
𝑟
binomial coefficient, and is read as
“combination of n taken r at a time”, defined as
𝑛 𝑛!
𝑟
= 𝑓𝑜𝑟 0 ≤ 𝑟 ≤ 𝑛
𝑟! 𝑛−𝑟 !
EXAMPLE 1
1. Use Pascal’s triangle to expand (𝑥 + 𝑦)9 .
BINOMIAL THEOREM

If n is a positive integer, then

𝑛 𝑛−1 𝑛 𝑛 − 1 𝑛−2 2 𝑛 𝑛 − 1 𝑛 − 2 𝑛−3 3

(𝑎 + 𝑏)𝑛 = 𝑎𝑛 + 𝑎 𝑏 𝑎 𝑏 + 𝑎 𝑏 + ⋯ + 𝑏𝑛
1! 2! 3!
EXAMPLE 3

1. Expand (𝑥 + 𝑦)5
2. Find the 7th term of (2 − 𝑥𝑦)11
3. Expand (2𝑥 − 1)6
 QUIZ : ½ crosswise

Name: LAST NAME Date:

Section: Teacher:
TEST I. Give the nos. of terms on the
expansion of each.
1. (𝑥 + 2)9 2. (𝑥 − 3)14 3. (3𝑥 + 1)10
TEST II. Give the value of the following.
1. 4! 2. 6! 3. 5!+4! 4. 8!/7!