Binomial Expansion

Binomial Expansion (Year 13) - Edexcel Past Exam Questions

1. Use the binomial theorem to expand

4
(4 – 9x), x < ,
9

in ascending powers of x, up to and including the term in x3, simplifying each term. (5)

June 05 Q1

3x 2  16 A B C
2. f(x) = = + + , x < 1
.
(1  3x)( 2  x) (1  3 x) (2  x) (2  x) 2
2 3

(a) Find the values of A and C and show that B = 0. (4)

(b) Hence, or otherwise, find the series expansion of f(x), in ascending powers of x, up to and
including the term in x3. Simplify each term. (7)
Jan 06 Q5

3x  1
3. f(x) = , x < 1
.
(1  2 x ) 2
2

3x  1 A B
Given that, for x  1
, = + , where A and B are constants,
(1  2 x ) (1  2 x) (1  2 x ) 2
2 2

(a) find the values of A and B. (3)

(b) Hence, or otherwise, find the series expansion of f(x), in ascending powers of x, up to and
including the term in x3, simplifying each term. (6)

June 06 Q2

4. f(x) = (2 – 5x)–2, x < 2

5 .

Find the binomial expansion of f(x), in ascending powers of x, as far as the term in x3, giving
each coefficient as a simplified fraction. (5)
Jan 07 Q1

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 Binomial Expansion

5. f(x) = (3 + 2x)–3, x < 3

2 .

Find the binomial expansion of f(x), in ascending powers of x, as far as the term in x3.

Give each coefficient as a simplified fraction. (5)

June 07 Q1

6. (a) Use the binomial theorem to expand

1

(8  3x) , 3
 x < 8
3 ,

in ascending powers of x, up to and including the term in x3, giving each term as a
simplified fraction. (5)

(b) Use your expansion, with a suitable value of x, to obtain an approximation to 3(7.7).
Give your answer to 7 decimal places. (2)
Jan 08 Q2

1
7. (a) Expand , where x < 4
, in ascending powers of x up to and including the term
 (4  3x)
3

in x2. Simplify each term. (5)

x8
(b) Hence, or otherwise, find the first 3 terms in the expansion of as a series in
 (4  3x)
ascending powers of x. (4)
June 08 Q5

27 x 2  32 x  16 2
8. f(x) = , x < .
(3x  2) (1  x)
2
3

Given that f(x) can be expressed in the form

A B C
f(x) = + + ,
(3x  2) (3x  2) 2
(1  x )

(a) find the values of B and C and show that A = 0. (4)

(b) Hence, or otherwise, find the series expansion of f(x), in ascending powers of x, up to and
including the term in x2. Simplify each term. (6)

(c) Find the percentage error made in using the series expansion in part (b) to estimate the
value of f(0.2). Give your answer to 2 significant figures. (4)
Jan 09 Q3

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 Binomial Expansion

1
9. f(x) = , x < 4.
 (4  x)

Find the binomial expansion of f (x) in ascending powers of x, up to and including the term in
x3. Give each coefficient as a simplified fraction.
(6)

June 09 Q1

10. (a) Find the binomial expansion of

1
(1 – 8x), x < ,
8

in ascending powers of x up to and including the term in x3, simplifying each term. (4)

1  23
(b) Show that, when x = , the exact value of (1 – 8x) is . (2)
100 5
1
(c) Substitute x = into the binomial expansion in part (a) and hence obtain an
100
approximation to 23. Give your answer to 5 decimal places. (3)
Jan 10 Q1

2 x 2  5 x  10 B C
11. A+ + .
( x  1)( x  2) x 1 x2

(a) Find the values of the constants A, B and C. (4)

2 x  5 x  10
2
(b) Hence, or otherwise, expand in ascending powers of x, as far as the term in
( x  1)( x  2)
x2. Give each coefficient as a simplified fraction. (7)
June 10 Q5

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 Binomial Expansion

12. (a) Use the binomial theorem to expand

2
(2 – 3x)–2, x  < ,
3

in ascending powers of x, up to and including the term in x3. Give each coefficient as a
simplified fraction. (5)

a  bx 2
f(x) = , x  < , where a and b are constants.
(2  3x) 2 3

In the binomial expansion of f(x), in ascending powers of x, the coefficient of x is 0 and the
9
coefficient of x2 is .
16

Find

(b) the value of a and the value of b, (5)

(c) the coefficient of x3 , giving your answer as a simplified fraction. (3)

Jan 11 Q5

1 3
13. f (x) = , x < .
 (9  4 x 2 ) 2

Find the first three non-zero terms of the binomial expansion of f(x) in ascending powers of x.
Give each coefficient as a simplified fraction. (6)
June 11 Q2

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