It is the first day of Algebra II class and the teacher asks his/her students to expand the binomial (x+y)14.

As the students silently roll their respective eyes and begin their perfunctory duty of algebraically multiplying (x+y) fourteen times, a collective sigh permeates the classroom as each student wonders if there might be an easier way to expand this binomial. The question of expanding binomials has befuddled similar classrooms since the advent of algebra and its permutations. One such solution, although it can be traced back to 5th-2nd century B.C. India, for quickly finding the coefficients in a binomial expansion is known as Pascals triangle and was created by the French mathematician Blaise Pascal in the 17th century. A simpler and more efficient solution to binomial expansion was the development of the binomial theorem as first suggested Isaac Newton during the 18th century. This theorem is also used extensively in finding the distribution properties of probability and statistical solutions. As will be shown in this paper, each of these solutions is easier and much more efficient in expanding high degree binomials than tedious algebraic multiplication. Expanding a binomial equation such as (x+y)2 just means multiplying it out long hand as (x+y) (x+y) = x2+2xy+y2. Having to do this for (x+y)14 would be soporific at best. This inconvenient way of binomial expansion led to the creation of Pascals triangle, as seen below, by the French mathematician Blaise Pascal: 1 1 1 1 1 1 5 4 10 3 6 10 2 3 4 5 1 1 1 1 1 Row (degree) 0 Row (degree) 1 Row (degree) 2 Row (degree) 3 Row (degree) 4 Row (degree) 5

As can be seen, the triangle is infinitely symmetrical, each row having one more entry than the previous one. Every row begins and ends with 1 and the interior numbers are found by adding the adjacent two numbers in the preceding row. Utilizing Pascals triangle and knowing the degree of a binomial, the coefficients of any binomial expansion can be enumerated. For example, (x+y)5 is a binomial expression of the 5th degree and by using the 5th row (degree) of Pascals Triangle, the coefficients are found to be 1..5..10..10..5..1 (the triangle working for any exponent n being a natural number). Therefore, the formula to find any coefficient for a binomial expression (x+y)n is n!/(n-k)!k!, where n is the row (degree) number of Pascals Triangle and k is the position number of the coefficient to be found (remember that the 1st coefficient 1 in every row is always place 0). Employing the formula to the original problem in our Algebra II class of (x+y)14, we can find, for example, the 3rd coefficient in the expansion by plugging in for n (row or degree) 14 and for k (coefficient to be found) 3. Then we have 14!/(14-3)!3!= 14!/11!3!= 14x13x12/3x2x1= 7x13x4= 364. Thus 364 is the 3rd coefficient of the expansion of (x+y)14. Although Pascals Triangle is an improvement over algebraic multiplication, its computations can become tiresome the higher the binomials degree and it does not equate the powers. An even more efficient formula for expanding binomial expressions was proposed in the 18th century and is usually credited to Isaac Newton, although there is some evidence it was first put forth by the German mathematician Gottfried Leibnitz. Known as the binomial theorem, this formula expands any binomial expression of the form (x+y)n, where n is any positive integer and x and y are any two real or complex number, into the sum of powers of x and y:

or expanded as xn+(xn-1y)n!/(n-k)!k! + (xn-2y2)n!/(n-k)!k! + (xn-3y3)n1/(n-k)!k!.yn

where n is the exponent and degree of the binomial expression and k being the coefficient placement number taking on successive values from 0 to n (note the similarity with Pascals Triangle of the coefficient formula of n!/(n-k)!k! and of the use of k as the placement position of the each coefficient and the use of n in determining the binomial degree and the number of terms in the each binomial expansion). The properties of the binomial theorem for any binomial expression (x+y)n are that the expansion will began with the term xn and end with the term yn and consist of n+1 terms; the exponents of x will decrease by one, while the exponents of y will increase by one for each succeeding term with the sum of each xy term being n; and, lastly, multiplying the coefficient and exponent of any term and dividing the product by the number of that term (its placement in the sequence) will provide the coefficient for the next term in the expansion. For example, to expand the original problem of (x+y)14 using the binomial theorem and its properties, the beginning term would be x14 and the last term would be y14. The coefficient of the 2nd term would then be 1 (the current coefficient) times 14 (the current exponent of x) divided by 1(the current term number) making the next coefficient 14. Decreasing the exponent of x in the current term and increasing the exponent of y in the current term by one, respectively makes the send term in the expansion 14x13y. The second term would then be of 14 (current coefficient) times 13 (current exponent) divided by 2 (current position) = 91 and a term of x12y2 or 91x12y2 . The expression becomes symmetrical around x7y7 and the coefficients descend in reverse order of succession, where as the exponents of each x term continues to decrease by one and the exponents of each y term increases by one. The binomial theorem can be applied to many scientific and mathematical fields particularly in probability and statistical computations to describe the distribution of data around a mean value, otherwise known as the binomial property distribution.

The binomial probability distribution occurs in any experiment where a procedure is followed with a fixed number of trials, these trials are statistically independent with only two possible outcomes (labeled success or failure) for each trial, and each trial has the same probability of success. To determine the binomial probability distribution, the binomial probability formula P(x)= [n!/x!(n-x)!]px(1-p)(n-x)is used to represent the possible outcome of these tested random events with n being the number of trials, x the number of successes, p the probability of success, and 1-p the probability of failure (since there are only two possible outcomes and only one can occur during the trial). For example, if a coin were to be flipped 10 times, what would be the probability of seeing 6 tails? Using the binomial probability formula where n would be 10 (the number of trials/flips), x would be 6 (the number of successes), p would be .5 (the probability of success), and 1-p (also known as q) would be .5 (the probability of failure). Plugging these values into the equation yields p(6)= [10!)/6!(10-6!] (.5)6(.5)(10-6)= 210(.015625)(.0625)= .205078125 or about 21%. So, the probability of getting 6 tails in 10 flips of a coin would be about 21%. To get the binomial probability distribution, the possible outcome of getting x tails on 10 flips of the coin would be charted and examined for how many possibilities are shown for getting exactly 6 tails. As with the binomial theorem, the binomial coefficient in the binomial probability formula is determined by the equation n!/x!(n-x)! and each variable x is associated with one and only one variable p (or y in the binomial theorem); therefore, there is one and only one possible outcome for each trial P(x) over the distribution [(x+y)n in the binomial theorem]. By using the binomial theorem and the binomial probability formula, the probability of a football team being successful on a 4th down conversion (attempting to make a 1st down on a 4th down play) can be determined. If a football team wants to know the chances of being successful

on 1 (x successful trials) out of every 4 ( n total trials) fourth down conversion attempts, than their probability of success is 1/2 or 0.5 (p possible successes). Their probability of failure would then be 1/2 (since their attempts on fourth down can only lead to success or failure and add up to one {1/2+1/2 =1}) or .5 (1-p or q failures). Utilizing these values and plugging them into the binomial probability distribution formula P(x)= [n!/x!(n-x)!]px(1-p)(n-x) yields the equation: P(8)= [4!/1!(4-1)!](.5)1(.5)3 =(4!/1!3!)(.5)1(.5)3 =(4/1)(.5)1(.5)3 =(4)(.5)1(.5)3 =(4)(.5)(0.125) =(2)(0.125) =.25 Therefore the probability of the football team achieving at least one first down on every fourth down attempt would be 25%. As the Algebra II class glazes over the nth term in the expansion of the binomial (x+y)14, the teacher chuckles and asks the class to stop with their tedious permutations. A collective sigh of relief arises in the classroom as the teacher smugly announces there may be an easier way to expand the binomial expression. All students of mathematics owe a deep debt of gratitude to Blaise Pascal, Isaac Newton, and those unnamed Indian, Chinese and Arabic mathematicians who developed the coefficient triangle, the binomial theorem and binomial probability formula. Pascals Triangle provided a quicker way to determine the coefficients in the expansion of binomials, while both binomial theories have aided greatly in the areas of scientific and mathematical studies making it more efficient and simpler to achieve the desired plugging in the variables subtraction of terms in parenthesis (order of operations) factoring factorials and reducing reducing fraction law of exponents commutative property of multiplication

computation expressions. Newtons binomial theorem furnished a formula to determine the sum power of each xy term and a quicker, less expansive way to determine the coefficient of each term. And the binomial probability formula provides a distribution pattern of the possible outcomes of an experiment with two possible outcomes. To quote Pascal, Cogito, ergo sum-if you don't believe that, try expanding the binomial (x+y)14 with only a pencil and paper, the headache alone will convince you of your existence.