2

Expand (x

+ 3)6

Students trying to do this expansion in their heads tend to mess up the powers. But this isn't the
time to worry about that square on the x. I need to start my answer by plugging the terms and
2
power into the Theorem. The first term in the binomial is "x ", the second term in "3", and the
power n is 6, so, counting from 0 to 6, the Binomial Theorem gives me:

(x2 + 3)6 = 6C0 (x2)6(3)0 + 6C1 (x2)5(3)1 + 6C2 (x2)4(3)2 + 6C3 (x2)3(3)3
+ 6C4 (x2)2(3)4 + 6C5 (x2)1(3)5 + 6C6 (x2)0(3)6
Then simplifying gives me

(1)(x12)(1) + (6)(x10)(3) + (15)(x8)(9) + (20)(x6)(27)

+ (15)(x4)(81) + (6)(x2)(243) + (1)(1)(729)
= x12 + 18x10 + 135x8 + 540x6 + 1215x4 + 1458x2 + 729

Expand (2x

5y)7

I'll plug "2x", "5y", and "7" into the Binomial Theorem, counting up from zero to seven to get
each term. (I mustn't forget the "minus" sign that goes with the second term in the binomial.)

(2x 5y)7 = 7C0 (2x)7(5y)0 + 7C1 (2x)6(5y)1 + 7C2 (2x)5(5y)2

+ 7C3 (2x)4(5y)3 + 7C4 (2x)3(5y)4 + 7C5 (2x)2(5y)5
+ 7C6 (2x)1(5y)6 + 7C7 (2x)0(5y)7
Then simplifying gives me:

Copyright Elizabeth Stapel 1999-2009 All Rights Reserved

(1)(128x7)(1) + (7)(64x6)(5y) + (21)(32x5)(25y2) + (35)(16x4)(125y3)

+ (35)(8x3)(625y4) + (21)(4x2)(3125y5) + (7)(2x)(15625y6)
+ (1)(1)(78125y7)
= 128x7 2240x6y + 16800x5y2 70000x4y3 + 175000x3y4 262500x2y5
+ 218750xy6 78125y7
You may be asked to find a certain term in an expansion, the idea being that the exercise will be way
easy if you've memorized the Theorem, but will be difficult or impossible if you haven't. So memorize
theTheorem and get the easy points.

What is the fourth term in the expansion of (3x

2)10?

I've already expanded this binomial, so let's take a look:

(3x 2)10 = 10C0 (3x)100(2)0 + 10C1 (3x)101(2)1 + 10C2 (3x)102(2)2

+ 10C3 (3x)103(2)3 + 10C4 (3x)104(2)4 + 10C5 (3x)105(2)5
+ 10C6 (3x)106(2)6 + 10C7 (3x)107(2)7 + 10C8 (3x)108(2)8
+ 10C9 (3x)109(2)9 + 10C10 (3x)1010(2)10
So the fourth term is not the one where I've counted up to 4, but the one where I've counted up
just to 3. (This is because, just as with Javascript, the counting starts with 0, not 1.)
Note that, in any expansion, there is one more term than the number in the power. For instance:

(x + y)2 = x2 + 2xy + y2 (second power: three terms)

(x + y)3 = x3 + 3x2y + 3xy2 + y3 (third power: four terms)
(x + y)4 = x4 + 4x3y + 6x2y2 + 4xy3 + y4 (fourth power: five terms)
10

The expansion in this exercise, (3x 2) , has power of n = 10, so the expansion will have
eleven terms, and the terms will count up, not from 1 to 10 or from 1 to 11, but from 0 to 10. This
is why the fourth term will not the one where I'm using "4" as my counter, but will be the one
where I'm using "3".
10C3

(3x)103(2)3 = (120)(2187)(x7)(8) = 2099520x7

Find the tenth term in the expansion of

(x + 3)12.

To find the tenth term, I plug x, 3, and 12 into the Binomial Theorem, using the number
9 as my counter:
12C9

10 1 =

(x)129(3)9 = (220)x3(19683) = 4330260x3

Find the middle term in the expansion of

(4x y)8.

Since this binomial is to the power 8, there will be nine terms in the expansion, which makes the
fifth term the middle one. So I'll plug 4x, y, and 8 into the Binomial Theorem, using the number5
1 = 4 as my counter.
8C4

(4x)84(y)4 = (70)(256x4)(y4) = 17920x4y4

You might be asked to work backwards.

12

Express 1296x

4320x9y2 + 5400x6y4 3000x3y6 + 625y8 in the form (a + b)n.

I know that the first term is of the form a , because, for whatever n is, the first term is nC0(which
n
0
12
n
always equals 1) times a times b (which also equals 1). So 1296x = a . By the same
n
8
n
reasoning, the last term is b , so 625y = b . And since there are alternating "plus" and "minus"
signs, I know from experience that the sign in the middle has to be a "minus". (If all the signs had
been "plusses", then the middle sign would have been a "plus" also. But in this case, I'm really
n
looking for "(a b) ".)
I know that, for any power n, the expansion has n + 1 terms. Since this has 5 terms, this tells me
that n = 4. So to find a and b, I only have to take the 4th root of the first and last terms of the
expanded polynomial:

Then a

= 6x3, b = 5y2, there is a "minus" sign in the middle, and:

1296x12 4320x9y2 + 5400x6y4 3000x3y6 + 625y8 = (6x3 5y2)4

Don't let the Binomial Theorem scare you. It's just another formula to memorize. A really complicated and
annoying formula, I'll grant you, but just a formula, nonetheless. Don't overthink the Theorem; there is
nothing deep or meaningful here. Just memorize it, and move on.

Example 1.
a) The term a8b4 occurs in the expansion of what binomial?
Answer. (a + b)12. The sum of 8 + 4 is 12.
b) In that expansion, what number is the coefficient of a8b4?
Answer. It is the combinatorial number,
12C4

12 11 10 9
= 495
1 2 3 4
Note again: The lower index, in this case 4, is the exponent of b.
This same number is also the coefficient of a4b8, since 12C8 = 12C4.

Example 2. Expand (a b)5.

Solution. We found the binomial coefficients to be 1 5 10 10 5 1. The
difference with (a b) is that the signs of the terms will alternate:
(a b)5 = a5 5a4b + 10a3b2 10a2b3 + 5ab4 b5.
For, a b = a + (b), therefore each term will have the form
a5 k(b)k.

When k is even, (b)k will be positive. But when k is odd, (b)k will be
negative.
Each odd power of b will have a minus sign.
Example 3. In the expansion of (x y)15, calculate the coefficients
ofx3y12 and x2y13.
Solution. The coefficient of x3y12 is positive because the exponent of
y is even. That coefficient is 15C12. But 15C12 = 15C3, and so we have
15 14 13
= 455.
1 2 3
The coefficient of x2y13, on the other hand, is negative because the
exponent of y is odd. The coefficient is 15C13 = 15C2. We have

15 14
= 105.
1 2

Example 4. Write the first four terms of (a + b)n. Do not use factorials.
Solution.
(a + b)n = nC0 an + nC1 an 1b + nC2 an 2b2 + nC3 an 3b3

= an + nan 1b +

an 2b2 +

an 3b3.

Notice: Each coefficient is a factor of the next coefficient. The

coefficient n is a factor of
.
That in turn is a factor of
.
To construct the next coefficient, then, multiply the present coefficient
by the exponent of a in that term -an 3b3
-- namely n 3:

n(n 1)(n 2)(n 3)

1 2 3 4
And divide it by 1 more than the exponent of b.
That is the coefficient of an 4b4.
Example 5. Use the binomial theorem to expand (a + b)8.
Solution. The expansion will begin :
(a + b)8 = a8 + 8a7b
The first coefficient is always 1. The second is always the exponent of
the expansion, in this case 8.
The next coefficient can be constructed as described above. It will be
the present coefficient, 8 -(a + b)8 = a8 + 8a7b + 28a6b2
-- times the exponent of a in that term , 7, divided by 1 more then the
exponent of b. It will be 8 7/2 = 28.
The next coefficient -(a + b)8 = a8 + 8a7b + 28a6b2 + 56a5b3
-- is 28 6, divided by 3:
28 6 / 3 = 28 2 = 56.
The next -(a + b)8 = a8 + 8a7b + 28a6b2 + 56a5b3 + 70a4b4
-- is 56 5, divided by 4:
56 5 / 4 = 14 5 = 70.
We have now come to the point of symmetry. For, the coefficient
3
5
ofa b is equal to the coefficient of a5b3, which is 56. And so on for the
remaining coefficients.
Here is the complete expansion:
(a + b)8 = a8 + 8a7b + 28a6b2 + 56a5b3 + 70a4b4 + 56a3b5 +
28a2b6 + 8ab7 + b8.
Example 6. Write the 5th term in the expansion of (a + b)10.

Solution. In the 1st term, k = 0. In the 2nd term, k = 1. And so on.

The index k -- the exponent of b -- of each term

is one less than the ordinal number of the term.
Thus in the 5th term, k = 4. The exponent of b is 4. The 5th term is
10C4

a6b4 =

10 9 8 7 6 4
a b = 210 a6b4
1 2 3 4
Pascal's triangle

This triangular array is called Pascal's Triangle. Each row gives the
combinatorial numbers, which are the binomial coefficients. That is, the row
1 2 1 are the combinatorial numbers 2Ck, which are the coefficients of
(a + b)2. The next row, 1 3 3 1, are the coefficients of
(a + b)3; and so on.
To construct the triangle, write 1, and below it write 1 1. Begin and end
each successive row with 1. To construct the intervening numbers,add the
two numbers immediately above.
Thus to construct the third row, begin it with 1, then add the two
numbers immediately above: 1 + 1. Write 2. Finish the row with 1.
To construct the next row, begin it with 1, and add the two numbers
immediately above: 1 + 2. Write 3. Again, add the two numbers immediately
above: 2 + 1 = 3. Finish the row with 1.
Example 8. Expand (x 1)6.
Solution. According to Pascal's triangle, the coefficients are
1 6 15 20 15 6 1.
In the binomial, x is "a", and 1 is "b". The signs will alternate:
(x 1)6 = x6 6x5 1 + 15x4 12 20x3 13 + 15x2 14 6x 15 + 16

= x6 6x5 + 15x4 20x3 + 15x2 6x + 1

Example 9. Expand (x + 2)3.
Solution. The coefficients are 1 3 3 1. x is "a", and 2 is "b".
(x + 2)3 = x3 + 3x2 2 + 3x 22 + 23
= x3 + 6x2 + 12x + 8
Problem 1. In the expansion of (a + b)n, each term has the form
an kbk,
where k successively takes on the value 0, 1, 2, . . ., n.
is the symbol for the binomial coefficient.
The binomial theorem is the statement that

=?

To see the answer, pass your mouse over the colored area.
To cover the answer again, click "Refresh" ("Reload").
The combinatorial number, nCk.
Problem 2. Use factorials to write the general term in the expansion of
(a + b)n.
n!
an kbk
(n k)! k!

Problem 3.
a) Calculate the coefficient of a4b6 in the expansion of (a + b)10.
10C6

= 10C4 = 210

b) The coefficient of which other term is the same? a6b4

c) In the expansion of (a + b)n, the coefficient of an kbk is the same
c) as the coefficient of which other term? akbn k
Problem 4. Calculate the coefficient of
a) x17y3 in the expansion of (x + y)20. 1140

b)
c)
d)
e)
f)

x3y17 in the expansion of (x + y)20. 1140

x3y17 in the expansion of (x y)20. 1140
x2y18 in the expansion of (x y)20. 190
x5y5 in the expansion of (x y)10. 252
x10 in the expansion of (x 1)15. 3003

Problem 5. Write the first four terms of (x + h)n. Do not use factorials.
(x + h)n = xn + nxn1h +

n(n 1) n2 2 n(n 1)(n 2) n3 3

x h +
x h
1 2
1 2 3

Problem 6. Compute the first four terms of each of the following.

a) (a + b)15 a15 + 15a14b + 105a13b2 + 455a12b3
b) (x 1)20 x20 20x19 + 190x18 1140x17
Problem 7. Consider the expansion of (x + b)30.
a) What is the exponent of b in the 1st term? 0
b) What is the exponent of b in the 3rd term? 2
c) In the 25th term? 24
d) In the kth term? k 1
e) Write the fourth term, with its coefficient. 4,060x27b3
Problem 8. Calculate each of the following.
a) The third term of (a + b)11. 55a9b2
b) The fifth term of (x y)7. 35x3y4
c) The tenth term of (x 1)12. 220x3
1
x

d) The fifteenth term of (1 + )18. 3060x14

1
x

e) The fourth term of (x )10. 120x4

Problem 9. Use Pascal's triangle to expand the following.
a) (a + b)3 = a3 + 3a2b + 3ab2 + b3

b) (a b)3 = a3 3a2b + 3ab2 b3

c) (x + y)4 = x4 + 4x3y + 6x2y2 + 4xy3 + y4
d) (x y)4 = x4 4x3y + 6x2y2 4xy3 + y4
e) (x 1)5 = x5 5x4 + 10x3 10x2 + 5x 1
f) (x + 2)5 = x5 + 10x4 + 40x3 + 80x2 + 80x + 32
g) (2x 1)3 = 8x3 12x2 + 6x 1
h) (1 xy)7
= 1 7xy + 21x2y2 35x3y3 + 35x4y4 21x5y5 + 7x6y6 x7y7
In the following Topic we will explain why the binomial coefficients are
the combinatorial numbers. That will constitute a proof of the binomial
theorem.

Next Topic: Multiplication of sums

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