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A binomial is a polynomial with two terms such as x + a. Often we
need to raise a binomial to a power. In this section we'll explore a way
to do just that without lengthy multiplication.
0
x a 1 Can you see a
x a x a pattern?
1
x a x 4ax 6a x 4a x a
4 4 3 2 2 3 4
5
x a x 5
__ ax 4
__ a 2 3
x __ a 3 2
x __ a 4
x a 5
We can easily see the pattern on the x's and the a's. But what
about the coefficients? Make a guess and then as we go we'll
see how you did.
Let's list all of the coefficients on the x's and the a's and look for a
pattern.
1
x a
5
1x5 5ax 4 10a 2 x3 10a3 x 2 5a 4 x 1a5
1+1
1+2+1
x a 1
0
1+3 3 1
x a 1x 1a + +
1
1 + 4 + 6 + 4 +1
2
x a 1x 2
2 ax 1a 2
1 5 10 10 5 1
3
x a 1x 3
3ax 2
3a 2
x 1a 3
Can you
guess the
x a
4
1x 4ax 6a x 4a x 1a
4 3 2 2 3 4
next row?
This is good for
1
lower powers but
could get very
large. We will 1 1
introduce some
notation to help 1 2 1
us and
generalise the
1 3 3 1
coefficients with
a formula based
on what was 1 4 6 4 1
observed here.
1 5 10 10 5 1
This is called Pascal's Triangle and would give us the
coefficients for a binomial expansion of any power if we
extended it far enough.
The Factorial Symbol
! !
0! = 1 1! = 1
n! = n(n-1) . . . 3 2 1
n must be an integer greater than or equal to 2
6! = 6 5 4 3 2 1 = 720
5 5! 5 4 3 2 1 20
10
2 2! 5 2 ! 2 1 3 2 1 2
2
12 12! 12 1110 9!
220
9 9!12 9 ! 9! 3 2 1
First let's write out the expansion of the general (x + a)6 and
then we'll substitute.
x a
6
x 6 __
6 ax5 15
__ a 2 x 4 20
__ a 3 x3 15
__ a 4 x 2 __
6 a5 x a6
2 x 3 y 2 x 6 these
3 y will the15same
3 y 2 x
6 6 5 2 4
2 xbe
20 3 y 2 x 15 3these
y will
2 x bethe
6 same
3 y 2 x 3 y
3 3 4 2 5 6
Let's
Let's find
find the
the 6 6! 6 5! Let's confirm
This that
will
6 the 6
5 6!6! 6 655 6
2 this is also
also3be
the
Now we'll find
coefficient for 6 44 4!3! 3the
the 64
coefficient
coefficient
second term.
x 576
forofthe
1
x
y
1!5!2160
5!x y 4320
15
20 x
coefficient y
of the of
coefficient
third
the 4thterm.
term 2 4
3 2 3!3! 2!4! 5 3 224!3! 62nd tothe last3rd
term.
4860 x y 62916 6! xy 6 5!729 y
to
formula
6 last term.
Now we'll apply this 5 5!1! to our 5!
specific binomial.
Acknowledgement
I wish to thank Shawna Haider from Salt Lake Community College, Utah
USA for her hard work in creating this PowerPoint.
www.slcc.edu
Stephen Corcoran
Head of Mathematics
St Stephens School Carramar
www.ststephens.wa.edu.au