Applications of

Binomial Expansion
Formula
Recall :
• (a + b) = ∑ Cr a b
n n n-r r

• We shall use this to

solve problems involving
missing terms in a
Binomial Expansion
• Examples
1. Find the term in x2 and the term independent of x in the expansion of (x – ½x)12
•
• Solution
• (x – ½ x)12 = 12Cr x12-r (-1/2x)r
• = 12
Cr x12-r (1/x)r (-½)r
• = 12
Cr x12-r x-r (-½)r
• = 12
Cr x12 - 2r (-½)r
• The term in x2
• x2 = x12 – 2r
• 2 = 12 – 2r
• 2r = 10
• r = 5
• therefore (x – ½x)12 = 12
C5 x12 – 2(5) (-½)5
• = 792 x2 x (-1/32)
• = -792 x2
• 32
• = -99 x2
• 4
• The term independent of x is when x0
• = x0 = x12 – 2r
• = 0 = 12 – 2r
• = 2r = 12
• = r =6
• => 12C6 x12 – 2(6) (-½)6
• = 924 x0
• 64
• = 231
• 16
• 2. Find the coefficient of x8 in the expansion of (2x + ¼ )11
• Solution
• (2x + ¼ )11 = 11Cr(2x)11 – r (¼)r
• = 11
Cr 211 – r x11-r 2-2r
• = 11
Cr x11 – r 211-3r
• The term in x8
• x8 = x11-r
• 8 = 11 – r
• r=3
• => 11C3 x11 – 3 211 – 3 x 3
• 165x8 . 22
• 165 x 4 x8
• = 660x8
• Therefore, the term in x8 is 660
•
• Class Work
• 1. Find the term independent of x and the term in
x3 in the expansion of (x – 1/3)6
• 2. Find the coefficient of x6 in the expansion of (2x +
1/8)15
•
•
• Assignment
• 1. Find the term independent of x and the term
in x6 in the expansion of (3x – ½ x)10
• 2. Find the coefficient of x15 in the expansion of
(4 – 1/x)17
•
• Further Examples on Applications of Binomial Expansion Using the
General Binomial Expansion Formula

• 1.If the first three terms of the

expansion (1 + px) = n

• 1 + 20x + 160x2,find the values

of p and n
•
• Solution
• Consider the expansion
• (1 + x)n = 1 + nx + n(n – 1)x2, then
• 2!
• (1 + px)n = 1 + npx + n(n – 1) (px)2 = 1 + 20x + 160x2
• 2!
• Comparing coefficients,
• 1=1
• npx = 20x
• np = 20 (i)
• n(n – 1)p2x2 = 160x2
• 2!
• n(n – 1) p2 = 320 (ii)
• From (i),
• P = 20/n
• Substitute in (ii)
• 320 = n(n – 1) (20/n)2
• 320n = (n – 1) 400
• 320n - 400n = -400
• - 80n = -400
• n = 400/80
• n = 5
• Substitute n = 5 in p = 20/n
• p = 20/5 = 4
• n = 5 and p = 4
•
• 2. When (1 + ax)n is expanded in ascending power of x, the first three
terms are
• 1 – 10x + 40x2. Find the values of a and n,
•
•
• Solution
• Consider the expansion of
• (1 + ax)n = 1 + nax + n(n – 1) (ax)2
• 2!
• And
• (1 + ax)n = 1 – 10x + 40x2
• Then comparing coefficients
• nax = -10x (i)
• then from (i)
• a = -10/n
• similarly,
• n(n – 1) a2 x2 = 40x2
• 2!
• n(n – 1)a2 = 80 (ii)
• from (i),
• n(n – 1) (-10/n)2 = 80
• 100n - 100 = 80n
• -100 = -20n
• n=5
• substitute in (i)
• a = -10/5 = -2
• a = -2 and n = 5
•
• 3. If the first three terms of the expansion (1 + ax) n = 1 + 12x
+64x2, find the values of
• a and n
•
• Solution
• (1 + ax)n = 1 + nax + n(n – 1) (ax)2
• 2!
• Comparing coefficients
• nax = 12x
• a = 12/n (i)
• n(n – 1) a2x2 = 64x2
• 2!
• n(n – 1)a2 = 128 (ii)
• substitute from (i)
•
• n(n – 1) (12/n)2 = 128
• (n – 1)144 = 128n
• - 144 = 128n - 144n
• -144 = -16n
• n = 144/16
• n=9
• substitute n in (i)
• a = 12/9 = 4/3
• a = 4/3 and n = 9
• Class Work
• Further Maths project page 95 numbers 7 and
12

• ASSIGNMENT
• Further Maths project page 95 numbers 10,
11 and 13