1

Binomial Theorem

Case Study
1.1

Binomial Theorem

1.2

Applications of Binomial Theorem

Chapter Summary

Case
Study
Some scientists are investigating the growth of a particular
cell. Initially, they have three cells.
They find that each cell divides into 3 daughter
cells each day.
Now, we put four cells in
After 100 days, the total number
each of the containers.
of cells becomes 3100.

In the past 100 days,

we have nurtured
many cells.

Then, they put 4 cells in each container.

How many cells are there in the last
container?

P. 2

1.1 Binomial Theorem

A. Pascals Triangle
We learnt some identities in junior forms such as
(a b)2 a2 2ab b2,
which is an expansion of the square of the binomial a b.
Consider (a b)3 (a b)2(a b)
(a2 2ab b2)(a b)
a2

)
a3
a3

2ab
a
2a 2 b ab 2
a 2b 2ab 2
3a 2 b 3ab 2

b2
b

1
)
coefficients

b3
b3

2
1
3

2
1
1
2
3

1
1
1
1

The relationships between the coefficients in the expansions (a b)2

and (a b)3:
1

P. 3

1.1 Binomial Theorem

A. Pascals Triangle
Some features in the expansions of (a b)2 and (a b)3:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

The first and the last coefficients are both 1.

The coefficients show a symmetrical pattern.
There are three terms in the expansion of (a b)2 and four terms in
the expansion of (a b)3.
In the expansion of (a b)2, the sum of the powers of a and b in
each term is 2 whereas in (a b)3, the sum is 3.
Starting from the left, the powers of a decrease by 1 whereas the
powers of b increase by 1.

P. 4

1.1 Binomial Theorem

A. Pascals Triangle
Consider (a b)4 (a b)3(a b)
(a3 3a2b 3ab2 b3)(a b)
Coefficients:
1
3
3
1
)
1
1
1
3
3
1
1
3
3
1
1
4
6
4
1
The relationships between the coefficients in the expansions (a b)3
and (a b)4:
1
1

3
4

3
6

1
4

Coefficients of the first term and the last term?

Any symmetrical pattern?

P. 5

1.1 Binomial Theorem

A. Pascals Triangle
Binomials

Coefficients in the expansions

(a b)0
(a b)1
(a b)2
(a b)3
(a b)4
(a b)5

1
1
1
1
1
1

2
3

4
5

1
1
3
6

10

1
4

10

1
5

The above triangle is a part of Pascals Triangle.

The patterns of arrangement are:
1. The first and the last coefficients are 1.
2. Except 1, the rth coefficient in the nth row is the sum of the two
neighbouring coefficients just above it, namely the (r 1)th and
the rth coefficients, in the (n 1)th row.
3. The coefficients show a symmetrical pattern.
4. There are n 1 terms in the expansion of (a b)n.

P. 6

1.1 Binomial Theorem

A. Pascals Triangle
Other features of the expansion of (a b)n for n 2:
1. The sum of powers of a and b in each term is equal to n.
2. The powers of a decrease by 1, from n to 0; the powers
of b increase by 1, from 0 to n.
By considering these features, we can easily expand binomials with
integral powers.

P. 7

1.1 Binomial Theorem

A. Pascals Triangle

Example 1.1T
Expand each of the following expressions.
(a) (2x 3y)4
(b) (3 4x)5

Solution:
(a)

(2x 3y)4
1(2 x) 4 4(2 x)3 (3 y ) 6(2 x) 2 (3 y ) 2 4(2 x)(3 y )3 1(3 y ) 4
16 x 4 96 x 3 y 216 x 2 y 2 216 xy 3 81 y 4

(b)

(3 4x)5
1(3)5 5(3) 4 (4 x) 10(3)3 (4 x) 2 10(3) 2 (4 x)3
5(3)(4 x) 4 1(4 x)5
243 1620 x 4320 x 2 5760 x 3 3840 x 4 1024 x 5

P. 8

1.1 Binomial Theorem

B. Binomial Theorem
We have learnt how to use Pascals Triangle to find the
coefficients in the expansion of (a b)n.
However, when n is large or n is an unknown, the work becomes tedious.
Besides using Pascals Triangle, we can find the coefficients in the
expansion of (a b)n by the counting method. For example:
Consider (a b)5 Aa5 Ba4b Ca3b2 Da2b3 Eab4 Fb5, where
the constants A to F are the coefficients in each term respectively.
We are going to express A to F in terms of the notation Cn.
r

Crn denotes the number of

ways of selecting r objects
from n distinct objects, i.e.,
n!
Crn
r!( n r )!

P. 9

1.1 Binomial Theorem

B. Binomial Theorem
Since (a b)5 (a b)(a b)(a b)(a b)(a b)
Aa5 Ba4b Ca3b2 Da2b3 Eab4 Fb5
(i) To get a5 in the product of five (a b)s, we need to multiply the
five as in the brackets together. That means we select zero b.
A C5
0
(ii) To have one a4b, we need to select one b from one of the five
brackets and then multiply it with the as in other four brackets.
B C5
1
(iii) To have one a3b2, we need to select two bs from two of the five
brackets.
C C5
2
(iv) By following the above steps, we have D C5 , E C5 and F C5 .
3

P. 10

1.1 Binomial Theorem

B. Binomial Theorem
Hence the coefficients in the expansion of (a b)5 can be
expressed in terms of Cn:
r
5
5 5
(a b) C0 a C15 a 4b C25 a 3b 2 C35 a 2b 3 C45 ab 4 C55b 5
In general, we have the following theorem:
Theorem 1.1 Binomial Theorem
For all positive integers n,
n n
n n 1 1
n nr r
n n
(a b)n C 0 a C1 a b ... C r a b ... C n b .

We can prove the Binomial Theorem using the counting method to find
the coefficients in the expansion of (a b)n.
Note:

We observe that the coefficients in the expansions in Pascals Triangle

show a symmetrical pattern. This is because:
n!
n!
C nn r
C rn

r!(n r )! ( n r )![n (n r )]!

P. 11

1.1 Binomial Theorem

B. Binomial Theorem

Example 1.2T
Expand (1 3x)11 in ascending powers of x as far as the 3rd term.

Solution:
(1 3x)11 C011 (1)11 C111 (1)10 (3 x) C211 (1)9 (3 x) 2
1 33x 495 x 2

P. 12

1.1 Binomial Theorem

B. Binomial Theorem
In mathematics, there is a symbol denoting the sum of ,
for instance:
(a)
(b)

r represents the sum of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, i.e., 1 2 3 4 5.

r 1
3

2 r represents the sum of 20, 21, 22 and 23, i.e., 20 21 22 23.

r 0

The symbol is called the summation notation.

n
r is from 1 to n

T (r )

r 1

General term that we need

to find the sum
n
That is, T (r ) T (1) T (2) ... T ( n 1) T ( n) .
Note:

r 1

Besides r, we can also use other letters such as i, j, k, etc., in the notation.

P. 13

1.1 Binomial Theorem

B. Binomial Theorem

Example 1.3T
Expand (4x 1)15 in ascending powers of x as far as the 3rd term.

Solution:
(4x 1)15 (1 4 x)15
C015 (1)15 C115 (1)14 (4 x) C215 (1)13 ( 4 x) 2
1 60 x 1680 x 2

P. 14

1.1 Binomial Theorem

B. Binomial Theorem

Example 1.4T
(a) Find the 3rd term in the expansion of (1 7x)9 in ascending
powers of x.
(b) Find the coefficient of x4 in the expansion of (2 x)8.

Solution:
(a) The 3rd term C29 (1) 7 (7 x) 2
98

49 x 2
2
1764x 2

Crn

n!
r!( n r )!

(b) The x4 term C 48 (2) 4 ( x) 4

70(16) x 4
1120 x 4

The coefficient of x4 is 1120.

P. 15

1.1 Binomial Theorem

B. Binomial Theorem

Example 1.5T
If the coefficient of x in the expansion of (3 bx)6 is 2916, find
the value of b.

Solution:
The x term C16 (3)5 (bx )
1458bx
1458b 2916
b2

P. 16

1.1 Binomial Theorem

B. Binomial Theorem

Example 1.6T

x
2
1

If the coefficient of x in the expansion of

is a positive integer, find the value of n.

Solution:
The x2 term

C 2n (1) n 2

x

2

is 7, where n

n(n 1) 2
x
8

n(n 1)
7
8
n 2 n 56 0
(n 8)(n 7) 0
n 8 or 7 (rejected)

P. 17

1.2 Applications of Binomial

Theorem
In this section, we will learn more examples concerning the
applications of the binomial theorem.

P. 18

1.2 Applications of Binomial

Theorem

Example 1.7T

1
Find the constant term in the expansion of 3 x
2x

Solution:
The general term

C r6 (3 x) 6 r

2
x

C r6 (3) 6 r (2) r ( x 6 2 r )

The x0 term is the constant term, that is

6 2r 0
r 3
6 3
3
The constant term C3 3 ( 2)
135

P. 19

1.2 Applications of Binomial

Theorem

Example 1.8T
(a) Expand the following expressions in ascending powers of x
as far as the term in x2.
(i) (2 x)8
(ii) (1 2x)6
(b) Hence find the coefficient of x2 in the expansion of (2 x)8(1 2x)6.

Solution:
(a) (i) (2 x)8 28 C18 (2) 7 x C 28 (2) 6 x 2
256 1024 x 1792 x 2
(ii) (1 2x)6 1 C16 (2 x) C 26 (2 x) 2
1 12 x 60 x 2
(b) (2 x)8(1 2x)6 ( 256 1024 x 1792 x 2 )(1 12 x 60 x 2 )
The coefficient of x2 256(60) 1024(12) 1792(1)
4864

P. 20

1.2 Applications of Binomial

Theorem

Example 1.9T
(a) Using the binomial theorem, expand (x 1)78, then prove that
(x 1)78 x2 f (x) 78x 1, where f (x) is a function in x.
(b) Using the result in (a), find the remainder when 4 78 is divided by 9.

Solution:
78 2
78
78
x C77
x C78
(a) (x 1)78 C078 x 78 C178 x 77 C278 x 76 C76
78
x 2 ( x 76 78 x 75 C278 x 74 C76
) 78 x 1
x 2 f ( x) 78 x 1 .................................................... (*)
78
where f ( x) x 76 78 x 75 C 278 x 74 C76

(b) Substituting x 3 into (*), we have

(3 1)78 32 f (3) 78(3) 1
478 9[ f (3) 26] 1
Find the quotient and the
remainder when 78(3) 1
where f (3) 26 is a positive integer.
is divided by 9.
78

When 4 is divided by 9, remainder is 1.

P. 21

Chapter
Summary
1.1 Binomial Theorem
Pascals Triangle:

1
1
1
1

1
1

1
2

3
4

If n is a positive integer,

1
3

6
10

1
4

10

1
5

(a b) n C0n a n C1n a n1b1 ... Crn a nr b r ... Cnnb n

n

C rn a n r b r
r 0

where the general term is the (r 1)th term C rn a n r b r .

P. 22

Chapter
Summary
1.2 Applications of Binomial Theorem
We can solve many problems by applying the binomial theorem
such as finding the coefficients in the expansions of powers of
binomials and the remainders in the divisions of positive integers.

P. 23