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Binomial Theorem

This unit covers the Binomial Theorem, including the Pascal Triangle and the Binomial Expansion Formula. It explains how to expand binomial expressions and derive the formula for both positive and negative indices. The learning outcomes include generating Pascal's triangle, evaluating factorials, and applying the binomial expansion formula in various scenarios.

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1 views

Binomial Theorem

This unit covers the Binomial Theorem, including the Pascal Triangle and the Binomial Expansion Formula. It explains how to expand binomial expressions and derive the formula for both positive and negative indices. The learning outcomes include generating Pascal's triangle, evaluating factorials, and applying the binomial expansion formula in various scenarios.

Uploaded by

amosoguntoyan629
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Unit 8

Binomial Theorem
Content
1.0 Introduction
2.0 Learning Outcome
3.0 Learning Content
3.1 Pascal Triangle
3.2 The Binomial Expansion Formula
4.0 Conclusion
5.0 Summary
6.0 Tutor-Marked Assignment
7.0 References/Further Reading
1.0 Introduction

An expression consisting of two terms, connected by + or – sign is called a binomial expression, Bi


means two and nom means term. Thus the general type of a binomial is a + b , x – 2 , 3x + 4
etc. The expression of a binomial raised to a small positive power can be solved by ordinary
multiplication, but for large power the actual multiplication is laborious and for fractional power
actual multiplication is not possible. By means of binomial theorem, this work reduced to a
shorter form. This theorem was first established by Sir Isaac Newton. The total number of terms
in the binomial expansion of (a + b)n is n + 1, i.e. one more than the exponent n. In the expansion, the first
term is raised to the power of the binomial and in each subsequent terms the power of a reduces by one
with simultaneous increase in the power of b by one, till power of b becomes equal to the power of binomial,
i.e., the power of a is n in the first term, (n – 1) in the second term and so on ending with zero in the last
term. At the same time power of b is 0 in the first term, 1 in the second term and 2 in the third term and so
on, ending with n in the last term. In any term the sum of the indices (exponents) of ‘a’ and ‘b’ is equal to
n (i.e., the power of the binomial). The coefficients in the expansion follow a certain pattern known as
pascal’s triangle.
In this unit you will study the pascal triangle, factorial, combination and derive the binomial
expansion formula. The formula shall be used to expand the binomial expression of
negative and fractional indices.

2.0 Learning Outcome


At the end of this unit you should be able to:
1. generate Pascal triangle and use it solve binomial expression.
2. evaluate the factorial of positive integers.
3. expand the combination of 𝑛 different objects taken 𝑟 at a time
4. derive a binomial expansion formula for the binomial expression of positive integers
5. use the binomial expansion formula to expand binomial expression of negative index
6. use the binomial expansion formula to expand binomial expression of fractional index
3.0 Learning Content
3.1 Pascal Triangle
The binomial coefficients appear as the entries of Pascal's triangle where each entry is
the sum of the two above it.
In elementary algebra, the binomial theorem describes the algebraic expansion of
powers of a binomial. According to the theorem, it is possible to expand the power (x + y)n
into a sum involving terms of the form axbyc, where the exponents b and c are nonnegative
integers with b + c = n, and the coefficient of each term is a specific positive integer
depending on n and b. When an exponent is zero, the corresponding power is usually
omitted from the term.
This formula and the triangular arrangement of the binomial coefficients are often
attributed to Blaise Pascal, who described them in the 17th century, but they were known
to many mathematicians who preceded him.
Consider the expansions of each of the following:
(𝑥 + 𝑦)0 ; (𝑥 + 𝑦)1 ; (𝑥 + 𝑦)2 ; (𝑥 + 𝑦)3 ; (𝑥 + 𝑦)4 ; (𝑥 + 𝑦)5 ; (𝑥 + 𝑦)6 ; (𝑥
+ 𝑦)7
(𝑥 + 𝑦)0 = 1
(𝑥 + 𝑦)1 = 1𝑥 + 1𝑦

The coefficients of 𝑥 and 𝑦 can be displayed in an array as:


The array of coefficients displayed above, is called Pascal’s Triangle, and it is used to in
determining the coefficients of the terms of the powers of a binomial expression.

Notice that

1. the powers of x go down until it reaches 0 ( ),starting value is n (the n in


.)
2. the powers of y go up from 0 ( ) until it reaches n (also the n in .)
3. the nth row of the Pascal's Triangle will be the coefficients of the expanded binomial.
(Note that the top is row 0.)
4. for each line, the number of products (i.e. the sum of the coefficients) is equal to
.
5. for each line, the number of product groups is equal to .

Examples
5.0 Using Pascal’s triangle, expand and simplify completely: (2𝑥 + 3𝑦)4 .
Solution:
(2𝑥 + 3𝑦)4 = (2𝑥)4 + 4(2𝑥)3 (3𝑦) + 6(2𝑥)2 (3𝑦)2 + 4(2𝑥)(3𝑦)3 + (3𝑦)4
= 16𝑥 4 + 96𝑥 3 𝑦 + 216𝑥 2 𝑦 2 + 216𝑥𝑦 3 + 81𝑦 4
6.0 Using Pascal’s triangle, expand and simplify completely: (𝑥 − 2𝑦)5 .
Solution
(𝑥 − 2𝑦)5 = 𝑥 5 + 5𝑥 4 (−2𝑦) + 10𝑥 3 (−2𝑦)2 + 10𝑥 2 (−2𝑦)3 + 5𝑥(−2𝑦)4 + (−2𝑦)5
= 𝑥 5 − 10𝑥 4 𝑦 + 40𝑥 3 𝑦 2 − 80𝑥 2 𝑦 3 + 80𝑥𝑦 4 − 32𝑦 5
7.0 Using Pascal’s triangle, simplify, correct to 5 decimal places, (1.01)4 .
Solution
We can write (1.01)4 = (1 + 0.01)4
(1 + 0.01)4 = 1 + 4(0.01) + 6(0.01)2 + 4(0.01)3 + (0.01)4
= 1 + 0.04 + 0.0006 + 0.000004 + 0.00000001
= 1.04060401
= 1.04060(5d.p.)

Self-Assessment Exercise 1

1. Expand: (2t + 3/t)4. Using Pascal’s triangle


3.2 The Binomial Expansion Formula
According to the theorem, it is possible to expand any power of x + y into a sum of the
form

where each is a specific positive integer known as binomial coefficient. This formula
is also referred to as the Binomial Formula or the Binomial Identity. Using summation
notation, it can be written as

The final expression follows from the previous one by the symmetry of x and y in the first
expression, and by comparison it follows that the sequence of binomial coefficients in the
formula is symmetrical.
A variant of the binomial formula is obtained by substituting 1 for y, so that it involves only
a single variable. In this form, the formula reads

or equivalently

Where,
𝒏 𝒏! 𝒏(𝒏 − 𝟏)(𝒏 − 𝟐)(𝒏 − 𝟑). . . (𝒏 − 𝒌 + 𝟏)(𝒏 − 𝒌)!
( ) = 𝒏𝑪 𝒌 = =
𝒌 (𝒏 − 𝒌)! 𝒌! (𝒏 − 𝒌)! 𝒌!
(𝒏
𝒏(𝒏 − 𝟏)(𝒏 − 𝟐). . . − 𝒌 + 𝟏)
=
𝒌!
Example:
1. (a) Using the binomial theorem, expand(1 + 2𝑥)5 , simplifying all the terms.
(b) use your expansion to calculate the value of 1.025, correct to six significant figures.

Solution:
(a)
(1 + 2𝑥)5 = 1+5 𝐶1 (2𝑥) + 5𝐶2 (2𝑥)2 + 5𝐶3 (2𝑥)3 +5 𝐶4 (2𝑥)4 +5 𝐶5 (2𝑥)5
5.4 5.4.3 5.4.3.2
= 1 + 5(2𝑥) + . 4𝑥 2 + . 8𝑥 3 + . 16𝑥 4 + 32𝑥 5
1.2 1.2.3 1.2.3.4
= 1 + 10𝑥 + 40𝑥 2 + 80𝑥 3 + 80𝑥 4 + 32𝑥 5
(b)
(1.05)5 = (1 + 0.002)5
Put (1 + 0.02)5 = 1 + 2𝑥
2𝑥 = 0.02
𝑥 = 0.01
Hence,
(1.05)5 = 1 + 10(0.01) = 40(0.01)2 + 80(0.01)3 + 80(0.01)4 + 32(0.01)5
= 1 + 0.1 + 0.004 + 0.00008 + 0.00000008
= 1.10408(6 s.f.)

Self-Assessment Exercise(s) 2

1. Expand: (2/x + 3√x)4


2. Find the 5th term in the expansion of (2x - 5y)6.

4.0 Conclusion
In this unit you have studied Pascal’s triangle and Binomial expansion formula. We have
also use both Pascal’s triangle and Binomial expansion formula to solve problems of
binomial theorem.

5.0 Summary
In this unit you studied:
The binomial expansion formula for (𝑥 + 𝑦)𝑛 is
(𝑥 + 𝑦)𝑛 = 𝑥 𝑛 + 𝑛𝐶1 𝑥 𝑛−1 𝑦 + 𝑛𝐶2 𝑥 𝑛−2 𝑦 2 +. . . + 𝑛𝐶𝑘 𝑥 𝑛−𝑘 𝑦 𝑘 +. . . 𝑦 𝑛

Where

𝒏 𝒏! 𝒏(𝒏 − 𝟏)(𝒏 − 𝟐)(𝒏 − 𝟑). . . (𝒏 − 𝒌 + 𝟏)(𝒏 − 𝒌)!


𝑪𝒌 = =
(𝒏 − 𝒌)! 𝒌! (𝒏 − 𝒌)! 𝒌!
𝒏(𝒏 − 𝟏)(𝒏 − 𝟐). . . (𝒏 − 𝒌 + 𝟏)
=
𝒌!

6.0 Tutor-Marked Assignment


1. Use the binomial theorem to write down and simplify all the terms of the expansion of
1 5
(1 − 4 𝑥) .
1 9
2. Obtain the first three terms of the expansion of (3 + 3 𝑥) .
3. Obtain the expansion of (1 + 𝑥)4 + (1 − 𝑥)4 .
Use your expansion to evaluate (1.01)4 + (0.99)4, correct to 4 decimal places
7.0 References/Further Reading
Odili G. A. (2000), Algebra for Colleges and Universities: An Integrated Approach.
Anachuna Educational Books.
Akinnola V. J., Mohammed J., Aiyesimi Y. M., Akinwande N. I., and Ogunfiditimi E.
O.(2005), College Algebra and Trigonometry. Y- Books.
Tuttuh-Adegun, Sivasubramniam S., Adekoge R. (2003) Further Mathematics Project 2.
NPS Educational.
Tuttuh-Adegun, Sivasubramniam S., Adekoge R. (2008) Further Mathematics Project 1.
NPS Educational.

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