Section 9.

5 • The Binomial Theorem 163

Name______________________________________________
Section 9.5 The Binomial Theorem

Objective: In this lesson you learned how to use the Binomial Theorem
and Pascal’s Triangle to calculate binomial coefficients and
binomial expansions.

Important Vocabulary Define each term or concept.

Binomial coefficients The coefficients of a binomial expansion.

I. Binomial Coefficients (Pages 683−684) What you should learn

How to use the Binomial
List four general observations about the expansion of ( x + y ) n Theorem to calculate
for various values of n. binomial coefficients
1) In each expansion, there are n + 1 terms.

2) In each expansion, x and y have symmetrical roles. The powers of x

decrease by 1 in successive terms, whereas the powers of y increase by 1.

3) The sum of the powers in each term is n.

4) The coefficients increase and then decrease in a symmetric pattern.

The Binomial Theorem states that in the expansion of (x + y)n =

xn + nxn – 1y + . . . + nCrxn – ryr + . . . + nxyn – 1 + yn, the coefficient
of xn – ryr is nCr = n!/((n − r)!r!) .

Example 1: Find the binomial coefficient 12 C 5 .

792

II. Pascal’s Triangle (Page 685) What you should learn

How to use Pascal’s
Pascal’s Triangle is a triangular pattern, named for French Triangle to calculate
mathematician Blaise Pascal, in which the first and last numbers binomial coefficients
in each row are 1 and every other number in each row is formed
by . . . adding the two numbers immediately above the
number.

The numbers in Pascal’s triangle are precisely the same numbers

that are the coefficients of binomial expansions .

Larson/Hostetler Precalculus/Precalculus with Limits Notetaking Guide IAE

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
164 Chapter 9 • Sequences, Series, and Probability

Construct rows 0 through 6 of Pascal’s Triangle.

1
1 1
1 2 1
1 3 3 1
1 4 6 4 1
1 5 10 10 5 1
1 6 15 20 15 6 1

III. Binomial Expansions (Pages 686−687) What you should learn

How to use binomial
Writing out the coefficients for a binomial that is raised to a coefficients to write
power is called expanding a binomial . binomial expansions

Example 2: Use the binomial coefficients from the appropriate

row of Pascal’s Triangle to expand ( x + 2) 5

x5 + 10x4 + 40x3 + 80x2 + 80x + 32

Additional notes

Homework Assignment

Page(s)

Exercises

Larson/Hostetler Precalculus/Precalculus with Limits Notetaking Guide IAE

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.