C4 SERIES Worksheet C

1
1 a Expand (1 − 4 x) 2 in ascending powers of x up to and including the term in x3 and state
the set of values of x for which the expansion is valid. (4)
b By substituting x = 0.01 in your expansion, find the value of 6 to 6 significant figures. (3)

4
2 f(x) ≡ .
1 + 2 x − 3x 2
a Express f(x) in partial fractions. (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 and state the set of values of x for which the expansion is valid. (5)

3 a Expand (2 − x)−2, | x | < 2, in ascending powers of x up to and including the term in x3. (4)
3− x
b Hence, find the coefficient of x3 in the series expansion of . (2)
(2 − x) 2

4
4 f(x) ≡ , − 32 < x < 3
2
.
1+ x 2
3

a Show that f( 101 ) = 15 . (2)

b Expand f(x) in ascending powers of x up to and including the term in x2. (3)
c Use your expansion to obtain an approximation for 15 , giving your answer as an
exact, simplified fraction. (2)
d Show that 3 55
63
is a more accurate approximation for 15 . (2)

1
5 a Expand (1 − x) 3 , | x | < 1, in ascending powers of x up to and including the term in x2. (3)
b By substituting x = 10−3 in your expansion, find the cube root of 37 correct to
9 significant figures. (3)
3
6 The series expansion of (1 + 5 x) 5 , in ascending powers of x up to and including the
term in x3, is
1 + 3x + px2 + qx3, | x | < 1
5
.
a Find the values of the constants p and q. (4)
3
b Use the expansion with a suitable value of x to find an approximate value for (1.1) . 5
(2)
3
c Obtain the value of (1.1) from your calculator and hence find the percentage error in
5

your answer to part b. (2)

7 a Find the values of A, B and C such that

8 − 6x2 A B C
2
≡ + + . (4)
(1 + x)(2 + x) 1+ x 2+ x (2 + x) 2
8 − 6x2
b Hence find the series expansion of , | x | < 1, in ascending powers of x up
(1 + x)(2 + x)2
to and including the term in x3, simplifying each coefficient. (7)

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C4 SERIES Worksheet C continued

1
8 a Expand (1 − 2 x) 2 , | x | < 1
2
, in ascending powers of x up to and including the term in x2. (3)
b By substituting x = 0.0008 in your expansion, find the square root of 39 correct to
7 significant figures. (4)
1
9 a Find the series expansion of (1 + 8 x) 3 , | x | < 18 , in ascending powers of x up to and
including the term in x2, simplifying each term. (3)
b Find the exact fraction k such that
3
5 = k 3 1.08 (2)
c Hence, use your answer to part a together with a suitable value of x to obtain an
estimate for 3 5 , giving your answer to 4 significant figures. (3)

6x
10 f(x) ≡ 2
, | x | < 1.
x − 4x + 3
a Express f(x) in partial fractions. (3)
b Show that for small values of x,
f(x) ≈ 2x + 8
3
x2 + 26
9
x3. (5)

1
11 a Find the binomial expansion of (4 + x) 2 in ascending powers of x up to and including
the term in x2 and state the set of values of x for which the expansion is valid. (4)
b By substituting x = 201 in your expansion, find an estimate for 5 , giving your
answer to 9 significant figures. (3)
c Obtain the value of 5 from your calculator and hence comment on the accuracy of
the estimate found in part b. (2)

−1
12 a Expand (1 + 2 x) 2 , | x | < 1
2
, in ascending powers of x up to and including the term in x3. (4)
b Hence, show that for small values of x,
2 − 5x
≈ 2 − 7x + 8x2 − 25
2
x3. (3)
1 + 2x
c Solve the equation
2 − 5x
= 3. (3)
1 + 2x
d Use your answers to parts b and c to find an approximate value for 3. (2)

13 a Expand (1 + x)−1, | x | < 1, in ascending powers of x up to and including the term in x3. (2)
b Hence, write down the first four terms in the expansion in ascending powers of x
of (1 + bx)−1, where b is a constant, for | bx | < 1. (1)
Given that in the series expansion of
1 + ax
, | bx | < 1,
1 + bx
the coefficient of x is −4 and the coefficient of x2 is 12,
c find the values of the constants a and b, (5)
3
d find the coefficient of x in the expansion. (2)

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