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The Binomial Theorem, Algebra Revision Notes From A-Level Maths Tutor

How the binomial expansion is developed from Pascal's Triangle. All about the general and particular binomial expansion.The part that probability theory plays in developing expressions containing coefficients and powers.Explanation of nCr.

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3K views4 pages

The Binomial Theorem, Algebra Revision Notes From A-Level Maths Tutor

How the binomial expansion is developed from Pascal's Triangle. All about the general and particular binomial expansion.The part that probability theory plays in developing expressions containing coefficients and powers.Explanation of nCr.

Uploaded by

A-level Maths Tutor
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Algebra Pure Maths topic notes

A-level Maths Tutor www.a-levelmathstutor.com [email protected]

The Binomial Theorem

Introduction

This section of work is to do with the expansion of (a+b)n and (1+x)n .

Pascal's Triangle and the Binomial Theorem gives us a way of expressing the expansion as
a sum of ordered terms.

Pascal's Triangle

This is a method of predicting the coefficients of the binomial series.

Coefficients are the constants(1,2,3,4,5,6 etc.) that multiply each variable, or group of
variables.

Consider (a+b)n variables a, b .

The first line represents the coefficients for n=0.

(a+b)0= 1

The second line represents the coefficients for n=1.

(a+b)1= a + b

The third line represents the coefficients for n=2.

(a+b)2= a2 + 2ab + b2

The sixth line represents the coefficients for n=5.

(a+b)5 = a5 + 5a4b + 10a3b2 + 10a2b3 + 5ab4 + b5

The Binomial Theorem builds on Pascal's Triangle in practical terms, since writing out
triangles of numbers has its limits.

A-level Maths Tutor www.a-levelmathstutor.com [email protected]


Algebra Pure Maths topic notes

A-level Maths Tutor www.a-levelmathstutor.com [email protected]

The General Binomial Expansion ( n≥1 )

This is a way of finding all the terms of the series, the coefficients and the powers of the
variables.

The coefficients, represented by nCr , are calculated using probability theory. For a deeper
understanding you may wish to look at where nCr comes from; but for now you must
accept that:

where 'n' is the power/index of the original expression


and 'r' is the number order of the term minus one

If n is a positive integer, then:

Example #1

A-level Maths Tutor www.a-levelmathstutor.com [email protected]


Algebra Pure Maths topic notes

A-level Maths Tutor www.a-levelmathstutor.com [email protected]

Example #2

It is suggested that the reader try making similar questions, working through the
calculations and checking the answer here (max. value of n=8)

A-level Maths Tutor www.a-levelmathstutor.com [email protected]


Algebra Pure Maths topic notes

A-level Maths Tutor www.a-levelmathstutor.com [email protected]

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 ).

Example

Find the first 4 terms of the expression (x+3)1/2 .

A-level Maths Tutor www.a-levelmathstutor.com [email protected]

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