Binomial Expansion

Section 1.1: Factorial !

The notation factorial is given by
n! = 1 × 2 × 3 × …. × (n − 1) × n
where n is a positive integer.

For example:
6! = 1 × 2 × 3 × 4 × 5 × 6 = 720
10! = 1 × 2 × 3 × … × 9 × 10 = 3628800

Calculator input for ! : SHIFT x−1

Example 1.1:
(a) Find the value of 8! + 5! – (3!)(4!) .
n !− (n − 1) !
(b) Simplify .
n −1

Solutions:
(a) 8! + 5! − (3!)(4!) = 40320 + 120 − (6)(24)
= 40296
(b) 𝑛! − (𝑛 − 1)! 𝑛(𝑛 − 1)! − (𝑛 − 1)!
=
𝑛−1 𝑛−1
(𝑛 − 1)! (𝑛 − 1)
=
𝑛−1
= (𝑛 − 1)!

Exercise 1.1:
1. Evaluate the following expressions without using a calculator.
6! 3! 9!+ 10!
(a) 2! + 3! (b) 4! + 3! + 0! (c) (d)
5! 9!

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2. Evaluate the following expressions without using a calculator.
4! 10!
(a) 4! – 2! (b) 5! – 4! + 2! (c) (d)
3! 2! 8!+ 7!

3. Simplify the following expressions.

(n + 4)! (n − 2)!
(a) (b) (c) n !+ (n + 1)!
(n + 2)! n!

4. Simplify the following expressions.

(n − 3)! n(n − 1)!
(a) (b) (c) 2[(n − 1)!] − n !
(n − 5)! (n + 1)!

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5. Simplify the following expressions.

1 2 n2 1
(a) + (b) −
(n + 1)! n ! n ! (n − 2)!

n !− (n − 1) ! (n + 2)! + ( n + 1)!
(c) (d)
n −1 n+3

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Section 1.2: Combination 𝑪𝒏𝒓
The notation 𝐶𝑟𝑛 is given by
𝑛!
𝐶𝑟𝑛 =
(𝑛 − 𝑟)! 𝑟!
where n and r are positive integers and r ≤ n .

It represents the number of combinations of r objects choosing from n different objects. For example,
We have A , B , C , D , E and two letters are selected, then the number of possible outcomes are
AB | AC | AD | AE | BC | BD | BE | CD | CE | DE
In total there are 10 different possible combinations. This number can also be obtained by calculating 𝐶25 = 10 .

Calculator input for 𝐶𝑟𝑛 : n SHIFT ÷ r

Example 1.2:

(a) Simplify C3n + Cnn− 2 .

(b) Solve Cnn− 2 = 21 .

Solutions:
(a) 𝑛! 𝑛!
𝐶3𝑛 + 𝐶𝑛−2
𝑛
= +
(𝑛 − 3)! 3! (𝑛 − (𝑛 − 2))! (𝑛 − 2)!
𝑛(𝑛 − 1)(𝑛 − 2)(𝑛 − 3)! 𝑛(𝑛 − 1)(𝑛 − 2)!
= +
(𝑛 − 3)! 3! 2! (𝑛 − 2)!
𝑛(𝑛 − 1)(𝑛 − 2) 𝑛(𝑛 − 1)
= +
6 2
𝑛(𝑛 − 1)(𝑛 − 2) + 3𝑛(𝑛 − 1)
=
6
𝑛(𝑛 − 1)(𝑛 + 1)
=
6
𝑛
(b) 𝐶𝑛−2 = 21
𝑛!
= 21
(𝑛 − (𝑛 − 2))! (𝑛 − 2)!
𝑛(𝑛 − 1)(𝑛 − 2)!
= 21
2! (𝑛 − 2)!
𝑛2 − 𝑛 − 42 = 0
𝑛 = 7 𝑜𝑟 − 6 (𝑟𝑒𝑗. )

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Exercise 1.2:
1. Evaluate the following expressions without using a calculator.

(a) C45 (b) C27

2. Evaluate the following expressions without using a calculator.

C15 + C24 C67 − C23

(a) (b)
C23 C67

3. Simplify the following expressions.

(a) Cnn + 3 (b) C nn−+11

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n +1
4. Simplify C n−2 −C .
n
3

5. (a) It is given that n is any positive integer and 0  r  n . Prove that Crn = Cnn− r .

(b) Hence, or otherwise, simplify Cnn−1  Cnn−−31 .

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6. Solve C = 2C .
n
3 1
n

7. Solve the following equations.

(a) Cnn++13 = 5n (b) C2n + C1n = 36

(c) C22 n + C2n = 18 (d) C2n + C12 n = 3n

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Section 2: Summation Notation ∑
The summation notation ∑ represents the sum of a sequence (a series of numbers). i.e.
𝑛

∑ 𝑇𝑖 = 𝑇1 + 𝑇2 + 𝑇3 + ⋯ + 𝑇𝑛−1 + 𝑇𝑛
𝑖=1

In the summation ∑𝑛𝑖=1 𝑇𝑖 , the letter i is a dummy variable because ∑𝑛𝑖=1 𝑇𝑖 = ∑𝑛𝑗=1 𝑇𝑗 = ⋯ .

Example 2:
3
Find the value of the expression 4
k =0
k
.

Solutions:
3

∑ 4𝑘 = 40 + 41 + 42 + 43
𝑘=0
= 85

Exercise 2:
3
1. Find the value of the expression  (k
k =−2
2
+ 1) .

6
2. Find the value of the expression  k (k + 2) .
k =2

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4
k +3
3. Find the values of k +2 .
k =1

4. Find the values of the following expressions.

4 4
(a)  (−2)
k =1
k
(b) 10  2
i =0
i −1

5. Express 3 + 6 + 9 + 12 + … + 33 in summation notation.

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6. Express 2 + 7 + 12 + 17 + … + 47 in summation notation.

7. Express C07 ( y 7 ) + C17 (2 y 6 ) + C27 (3 y 5 ) + + C77 (8) in summation notation.

8. Express 1 – 3 + 5 – 7 + … + 21 in summation notation.

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7 7 7
9. It is given that  ak = 54 ,
k =1
 bk = −9 and
k =1
a b
k =1
k k = 24 . Find the values of the following expressions.

7 7
(a)  2ak (1 + bk )
k =1
(b)  (3a
k =1
k − 1)(bk + 8)

7 7
10. It is given that a
r =3
r = 55 and a
r =3
r
2
= 202 . Find the values of the following expressions.

7 7
(a)  2ar (ar + 1)
r =3
(b)  (2a
r =3
r + 1)(ar − 7)

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Section 3: The Binomial Theorem
Expansion of binomial expressions related to power n , (a + b)n , where n is a positive integer.
When the power is small, the result can be easily obtained such as
(a + b)0 = 1
(a + b)1 = a + b
(a + b)2 = a2 + 2ab + b2
(a + b)3 = a3 + 3a2b + 3ab2 + b3
As the power becomes larger, it is harder to expand the expression completely.
However, we can notice that the powers of a is in descending order while b is in ascending order. Also, the
coefficients of the terms formed a special relationship which leads to the following Pascal’s triangle.

The Pascal’s triangle:

Combining the two observations, an efficient way to expand binomial expression is created which is called the
Binomial Theorem:
(𝑎 + 𝑏)𝑛 = 𝑎𝑛 + 𝐶1𝑛 𝑎𝑛−1 𝑏 + 𝐶2𝑛 𝑎𝑎−2 𝑏 2 + 𝐶3𝑛 𝑎𝑛−3 𝑏 3 + ⋯ + 𝐶𝑛−1
𝑛
𝑎𝑏 𝑛−1 + 𝑏 𝑛
𝑛

= ∑ 𝐶𝑟𝑛 𝑎𝑛−𝑟 𝑏 𝑟
𝑟=0

Tips:
1. The power of the first term in the binomial expression is in descending powers while the second term is in
ascending powers.
2. The coefficients are from 𝐶0𝑛 to 𝐶𝑛𝑛 .

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Example 3.1:
5
 1 
Expand  x +  in descending powers of x.
 2x 

Solutions:

Exercise 3.1:
1. Expand the following expressions.

(a) (1 + x)4

(b) (2 x − 1)5

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4
 1
2. Expand  2 +  in ascending powers of x by the binomial theorem.
 x

4
 1 
3. Expand  3 −  in descending powers of x by the binomial theorem.
 2x 

4
 3
4. Expand  2 x +  in ascending powers of y by the binomial theorem.
 y

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5. Expand (3x − 1) in ascending powers of x up to the 4th term.
8

6. Expand (1 + 4x)7 in ascending powers of x up to the 4th term.

7. Expand (1 – 2x)10 in descending powers of x up to the 5th term.

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9
x 
8. Expand  − 1 in descending powers of x up to the 4th term.
2 

5
4 y
9. Expand  +  in ascending powers of x by the binomial theorem.
x 4

1 4
10. Expand (3 − ) in descending powers of x by the binomial theorem.
2𝑥

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11. 12. Expand (− x + 3) in descending powers of x up to the 4th term.
2 11

12
 4
12. Expand  3 x −  in descending powers of x up to the 2nd term.
 x

7
 5
13. Expand  2 x 2 +  in descending powers of x up to the 4th term.
 x

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14. Expand ( x + 2 y ) in descending powers of x up to the 4th term.
2 9

15. Expand (2 x + 3)9 in ascending powers of x up to x3 term.

16. Expand (−3x + y)8 in ascending powers of x up to x3 y 5 term.

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17. Expand (2 − 3x) (5x + 4) in ascending powers of x up to the 3rd term.
5 3

18. Expand (1 + x)8 (1 − 2 x 2 )6 in ascending powers of x up to the term x4.

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19. Expand (3x − 1) in descending powers of x up to the 3rd term.
n

n
 5a 
20. Expand  2 x +  in descending powers of x up to the 4th term.
 3 

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21. It is given that (1 + 5x) = 1 + ax + bx +
n 2

(a) Express a and b in terms of n.

(b) If b = 375, find a and n.

n
 x
22. It is given that  4 +  = 4096 + ax + bx 2 + terms involving higher powers of x.
 8

(a) Find n.
(b) Find a and b.

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23. Find the coefficient of x in the expansion of (1 − 3x)3 (2 + 5x)4 .

24. Find the coefficient of x2 in the expansion of (1 + 4 x)4 (2 x − 1)7 .

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25. Find the coefficient of x in the expansion of (2 + x)2 (1 − x)8 .
3

2
2 
26. Find the coefficient of x in the expansion of  − 1 (3 + 2 x)6 .
3
x 

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2 7
 9  x
27. Find the coefficient of x in the expansion of  4 x +   2 −  .
 x  3

28. (a) Expand (1 − 5 x)10 in ascending powers of x up to the x2 term.

 1 1 
(b) Find the constant term in the expansion of 1 + + 2  (1 − 5 x)10 .
 x x 

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6
 1 1
29. (a) Expand  3 +  in descending powers of x up to the 3 term.
 x x
6
 1
(b) Find, in expansion of (7 − 2 x)  3 +  ,
3

 x

(i) the constant term, and

2
(ii) the coefficient of x .

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30. (a) Expand (1 − bx) in ascending powers of x.
5

(b) Consider the expansion (4 + x)3 (1 − bx)5 .

(i) Express the coefficient of x2 in the expansion in terms of b.

(ii) If the coefficient of x2 in the expansion is 14 812, find b.

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31. Let m be a positive integer.
(a) Expand (1 + 5x)m (1 − ax)5 in ascending powers of x up to the x2 term.

(b) If the coefficients of x and x2 in the above expansion are 20 and 90 respectively, find a and m.

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32. Let n be a positive integer.
(a) Expand (1 − 2 x)n (1 − ax)4 in ascending powers of x up to the x2 term.

(b) If the coefficients of x and x2 in the above expansion are −30 and 414 respectively, find n and a.

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33. If f ( x) = (1 + ax ) (1 + 2 x) , where n is a positive integer and a is a constant, find the values of n and a so that
2 4 n

the expansion of f(x) is 1 + 22 x + 222 x 2 +

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34. If f ( x) = (1 − ax ) (1 + 4 x) , where m is a positive integer and a is a constant, find the values of m and a so
2 8 m

that the expansion of f (x) is 1 + 24 x + 216 x 2 +

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35. (a) Expand (1 − ax) + (1 − 2 x) in ascending powers of x up to the x2 term.
5 n

(b) If the coefficients of x and x2 in (a) are 3 and 150 respectively, find a and n.

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5 5
 1  1 c
36. It is given that  x 2 +  +  x 2 −  = ax10 + bx 4 + 2 .
 x  x x

(a) Find the values of a, b and c.

5 5
 1   1 
(b) Hence, evaluate  5 +  + 5−  .
 5  5

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Section 3.2: Finding the rth term in an expansion
Consider the expansion (𝑎 + 𝑏)𝑛 . The rth term in the expansion can be given by
𝑪𝒏𝒓−𝟏 (𝒂)𝒏−𝒓+𝟏 (𝒃)𝒓−𝟏

Example 3.2:
7
1 
Find the 5th term in the expansion of  + 4 x  in ascending powers of x.
2 

Solutions:
7 7−r
1  1
The (r + 1)th term in the expansion of  + 4 x  = Cr7   (4 x) r
2  2
7−4
1
The 5th term = C47   (4 x) 4
2
= 1120 x 4

Exercise 3.2:
1. Find the 11th term in the expansion of (5 x − 1)12 in descending powers of x.

2. Find the 8th term in the expansion of (2 x + 1)10 in ascending powers of x.

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12
 x
3. Find the 8th term in the expansion of  2 x 2 −  in ascending powers of x.
 4

9
 4x 
4. Find the 6th term in the expansion of  x 2 +  in descending powers of x.
 3 

10
 3x 
5. Find the 9th term in the expansion of  2 −  in descending powers of x.
 2 

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12
 3
6. Find the 10th term in the expansion of  x3 +  in ascending powers of x.
 x

9
3 
7. Find the coefficient of x in the expansion of  + 10 x  .
5
5 

13
9 
8. Find the coefficient of y in the expansion of  − 2 y  .
11

y 

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9. Find the coefficient of x y in the expansion of (4 x + 5 y)10 .
3 7

12
 y
10. Find the coefficient of x y in the expansion of  2 x −  .
4 8
 2

11. Find the coefficient of a10 in the expansion of (a 2 + 3)8 .

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14
 1 
12. Find the coefficient of y in the expansion of  3 y +  .
6

 9y 

9
 1
13. Find the constant term in  2 x 2 −  .
 x

8
 1 
14. Find the constant term in  2 x3 −  .
 4x 

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9
x 3 
15. Find the constant term in  − 2  .
6 x 

9
 1 
16. Determine whether the expansion of  3 x + 2  consists of
 5x 

(a) a constant term, (b) an x2 term,

and find each term if it exists.

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8
 2
17. Determine whether the expansion of  x + 3  consists of
 x 

(a) a constant term, (b) an x3 term,

and find each term if it exists.

18. Let Tr be the coefficient of the r th term in the expansion of (3 + 5 x)5 in ascending powers of x. Find T4 : T3.

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19. For what value of c will the coefficients of x3 and x4 in the expansion of (1 + cx)8 be equal?

20. Let n be a positive integer. In the expansion of (1 + 3x)n , if the coefficient of x3 is twice that of x2, find n.

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21. The sum of the coefficients of x and x in the expansion of (1 − 3x)n is 558, where n is a positive integer. Find
2

(a) the value of n,

(b) the coefficient of x 3 .

n
 1 
22. Given that n is a positive integer and 4th term in the expansion of  2 x − 2  in descending powers of x is a
 3x 
constant, find n and determine the value of this term.

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23. In the expansion of ( x + 3) in descending powers of x, where n is a positive integer, the coefficient of the
2 n

third term is 135. Find the value of n and the coefficient of x4.

n
 1 
24. When  6 x 4 + 4  is expanded in descending powers of x, the 4th term of the expansion is a constant.
 x 

(a) Find n.
(b) Find the constant term of the expansion.

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25. Let Tr be the coefficient of the rth term in the expansion of ( x + 1)n in descending powers of x.
If Tk : Tk +1 : Tk +2 = 6 : 3:1 , where k is a positive integer, find the value of n.

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Answers
Exercise 1.1: 7 11
7.  Cn7 (n + 1)( y 7−n )
n =0
8.  (−1)
n =1
n −1
(2n − 1)
1(a) 8 (b) 31 (c) 36 (d)11
2(a) 22 (b) 98 (c) 2 (d) 80 9(a) 156 (b) 1321
1 10(a) 514 (b) −346
3(a) (n + 4)(n + 3) (b)
𝑛(𝑛−1)
(c) (n − 3)(n − 4) Exercise 3.1:
1
4(a) (n − 3)(n − 4) (b) 1(a) 1 + 4x + 6x2 + 4x3 + x4
𝑛+1
(b) 32x5 – 80x4 + 80x3 − 40x2 + 10x − 1
(c) (2 − n)(n − 1)!
1 8 24 32
2𝑛+3 1 2. + 𝑥3 + 𝑥2 + + 16
𝑥4 𝑥
5(a) (b)
(𝑛+1)! (𝑛+1)! 54 3 1
3. 81 − + 27 − 2𝑥 3 + 16𝑥 4
𝑥
(c) (n − 1)! (d) (n + 1)!
81 216𝑥 216𝑥 2 96𝑥 3
4. + + + + 16𝑥 4
𝑦4 𝑦3 𝑦2 𝑦

Exercise 1.2: 5. 1 – 24x + 252x2 − 1512x3 + …

1(a) 5 (b) 21 6. 1 + 28x + 336x2 + 2240x3 + …

2(a)
11
(b) 7
4 7. 1024x10 – 5120x9 + 11520x8 – 15360x7 + 13440x6 +…
3
x9 9 x8 9 x 7 21x 6
3(a)
(𝑛+1)(𝑛+2)(𝑛+3)
(b)
𝑛(𝑛+1)
8. − + − +
6 2 512 256 32 16
𝑛(𝑛−1)
4. 1024 320𝑦 40𝑦 2 5𝑦 3 5𝑦 4 𝑦5
2 9. + + + 2𝑥 2 + 64𝑥 + 1024
𝑥5 𝑥4 𝑥3
𝑛(𝑛−1)(𝑛−2)
5(b) 54 27 3 1
2 10. 81 − + 2𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 3 + 16𝑥 4
𝑥
6. 5
11. − x 22 + 33x 20 − 495 x18 + 4455 x16 +
7(a) 2 or 3 (b) 8
12. 531 441x12 − 8 503 056 x10 +
(c) 3 (d) 3
13. 128 x14 + 2240 x11 + 16800 x8 + 70000 x5 +

14. x9 + 18x8 y 2 + 144 x7 y 4 + 672 x6 y 6 +

Exercise 2:
1. 25 2. 130 15. 19 683 + 118 098 x + 314 928 x 2 + 489 888 x3 +

3.
99 16. y8 − 24 xy 7 + 252 x 2 y 6 − 1512 x3 y5 +
20

4(a) 10 (b) 155 17. 2048 − 7680 x − 1920 x 2 + ...

11 10 18. 1 + 8 x + 16 x 2 − 40 x3 − 206 x 4 +
5.  3n 6.  (5n − 3)
n =1 n =1 n(n − 1)
19. (3x) n − n(3x) n −1 + (3x) n − 2 + ...
2

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20. Exercise 3.2:
5an 25a n(n − 1)
2
125a n(n − 1)(n − 2)
3
(2 x)n + (2 x) n −1 + (2 x)n −2 + (2 x) n −3 + ... 1. 1650x2 2. 15360x7
3 18 162

14 336 x13
3. −99x19 4.
25n(n − 1) 27
21(a) a = 5n ; b = (b) n = 6 ; a = 30
2
5. 25920x2 6. 5940x24
22(a) 6 (b) a = 768 ; b = 60
7. 1632960 8. 479232
23. 16 24. 44
495
9. 6  108 10.
25. −120 26. −2016 16
27. −12432 11. 1512 12. 9009
28(a) 1 − 50 x + 1125 x 2 + (b) 1076 7
13. −672 14.
256
1458 1215 540
29(a) 729 + + 2 + 3 +
x x x 7
15. −
(b)(i) −80865 (ii) 49572 144
61236
30(a) 1 − 5bx + 10b 2 x 2 − 10b3 x3 + 5b 4 x 4 − b5 x5 16(a) Yes ; (b) No
125
(b)(i) 640b 2 − 240b + 12 (ii) 5
17(a) Yes ; 112 (b) No
31(a)
4
 25m(m − 1)  2 18. 5:3 19.
1 + (5m − 5a) x + 10a 2 − 25ma +  x + 5
 2
20. 4
(b) m = 7 ; a = 3
21(a) 12 (b) −5940
32(a) 1 − (2n + 4a) x + [6a + 8an + 2n(n − 1)]x +
2 2

1792
22. − 23. 1215
(b) a = −1 and n = 17 ; a = 3 and n = 9 9
1 24(a) 6 (b) 4320
33. a = ; n = 11 34. m = 6 ; a = 3
2
25. 11
35(a) 2 + (−5a − 2n) x + (10a + 2n − 2n) x + 2 2 2

(b) n = 6 ; a = −3
36(a) a = 2 ; b = 20 ; c = 10
(b) 6752

45
William Chan