Binomial Theorem

The Problem

When asked to expand brackets with low powers (2 or 3), we can do it relatively quickly and
easily.

● (x + 4)2 = x2 + 8x + 16
● (y + 2)3 = y 3 + 6y 2 + 12y + 8

What happens when we are asked to do this with bigger powers?

● (x + 3)4 = (x + 3)(x + 3)(x + 3)(x + 3)

= (x + 3)(x + 3)(x2 + 6x + 9)
= (x + 3)(x3 + 6x2 + 9x + 3x2 + 18x + 27)
= (x + 3)(x3 + 9x2 + 27x + 27)
= x4 + 9x3 + 27x2 + 27x + 3x3 + 27x2 + 81x + 81
= x4 + 12x3 + 54x2 + 108x + 81

In order to expand brackets like the one above more quickly we must use the ​Binomial
Expansion/Binomial Theorem.

Pascal’s Triangle

Firstly we must be able to construct Pascal’s Triangle.

These numbers form the ​coefficients​ of the terms in the Binomial Expansion.

nCr - Combinations

The numbers in Pascal’s Triangle are a quick way of working out numbers in the form

nCr =

Binomial Expansion

In general, we wish to expand: (a + b)n ​where a and b are numbers or variables and n is a
positive​ ​integer.

General Formula:

Example

(x + 3)4 = (4C0)x4 + (4C1)x3 (3) + (4C2)x2 (3)2 + (4C3)x(3)3 + (4C4)(3)4

= 1x4 + 4x3 (3) + 6x2 (9) + 4x(27) + 1(81)
1 4 6 4 1 ​←​Notice the coefficients are the 4th line of
Pascal’s Triangle
= x4 + 12x3 + 54x2 + 108x + 81
The ​Particular ​Binomial Expansion

This is for (1 + x)n , where n can take any value positive or negative, and x is a fraction
− 1 < x < 1 or simply |x| < 1 .

n(n−1)x2 n(n−1)(n−2)x3 n(n−1)(n−2)(n−3)x4

(1 + x)n ≈ 1 + nx
1! + 2! + 3! + 4! + ...

Example

(1 + 2a)3 : Here x = 2a .
Expand the above in ascending powers of a until the a2 term.

2
(1 + 2a)3 ≈ 1 + 3(2a)
1!
+ 3(2)(2a)
2!
+ ...
≈ 1 + 6a + 12a2 + ...

Example

Find the coefficient of x3 in the expansion of (1 + 3x)5

5(3x) 5(4)(3x)2 5(4)(3)(3x)3

(1 + 3x)5 ≈ 1 + 1! + 2! + 3! + ...

We only need to look at the 4th term as it contains x3 .

3
5(4)(3)(3x)3 60(3x)
3!
= 6
= 10(3x)3 = 10(27)x3 = 270x3 .

Hence the coefficient of x3 = 270.