RATIONAL FUNCTIONS.

These do not have the square factors like Surds .By difinition, a rational expression is the ratio of two
polynomials where the divisor is not equal to zero.

Eg: (x+2)/(3x-1) ,x is not equal to 1/3 .

DOMAIN OF A FUNCTION.

A value of which result the function UNDEFINED.

Eg:Find the domain of the function (x+2)/(3x-1);

We equate the denominator to zero

3x-1=0

3x=1 =1/3

For domain of 3x-1 ,{x belongs to all real numbers except x= 1/3 }

Eg: ( 2x 2 +1)/(x+1)

x+1= 0 ;x=-1

Therefore {x belongs to all real numbers except is equal to -1}

PARTIAL FRACTIONS.

Linear factors.

Eg: Express 6/(x+3)(x-3) in partial fraction.

Solution.

Let the function be expressed in the form A/(x+3) +B/(x-3)

6/(x+3)(x-3) = A/(x+3)(x-3)

Considering the numerator,

6= A(x-3) +B(x+3)

6=Ax-3A +Bx+3B

6=(A+B)x - (3A -3B)

Comparing the left hand side to the right hand side,

A+B =0
6=-(3A+3B).

Solving simultaneously,

A=-1 and B=1

Therefore 6/(x+3)(x-1) =-1/(x+3) +1/(x-3)

( 2) DENOMINATOR WITH A QUADRATIC FACTOR.

Express 3x+1/(x-1)(xx +1) in partial fractions

Solution.

This can be expressed in the form

A/(x-1) +Bx+C/(x2 +1)

Therefore 3x+1/(x-1)(x²+1)=A/(x-1) +Bx+C/(x2 +1)

Dealing with the numerator,

3x+1=Ax²+A+Bx+C( x-1)

3x+1=Ax²+A+Bx² -Bx²+Cx-C

3x+1=x²(A+B) (-Bx+C)x

Comparing the left and right hand side

x²(A+B)=0

(-Bx +C)=3

1=A-C

Solving the values for A,B and C simultaneously.

A=2, B=-2 and C =1

Therefore, 3x+1/(x-1)(x² +1) =2/(x-1) +(-2x+1)/(x²+1)

BINOMIAL THEOREM
A binomial is an expression which contains two terms connected with a plus or minus sign.Eg:. (x-y),
(a+b²),(2p+q)etc.

PASCAL'S TRIANGLE

1a +1x

1a² +2ax +1x²

1a³+ 3a²x +3ax² +1x³

1a⁴ +4a³x+6a²x² +4ax³ +1x⁴

1a+5a⁴x+10a³x²+10a²x³ +5ax⁴+1x⁵

Powers for a and x .The power of x increases as the power of a decreases.Adding the powers for a
particular term of a and x is the sum of the overall exponent.

Eg: an +x⁰ =n in (a+x)n

Solved examples.

Expand the binomial expression using pascal's triangle.

(2x-3y)³

Solution.

Let (a+x)n be equal to (2x-3y)³

n=3, a=2x and x= -3y

(2x-3y)³=1a³x⁰+3a²x+3ax²+1a⁰x³

(2x-3y)³=(2x)³+3(2x)²(-3y)+3(2x)¹(-3y)²+(-3y)³

(2x-3y)³=8x-36x²y+54xy²-27y³

Limits of pascal's triangle.

Expansion using pascal's triangle can only be done with ease up to exponents of 7.Hence it will be very
tedious to solve with larger exponents like 20,45,68 etc.So as time went on, a theoremwas derived
called the Binomial theorem.
 Binomial theorem for positive intergral index

The symbol "!" means factorial

1!=1

2!=2x1=2

3!=3×2×1=6

4!=4×3x2x1=24

5!=5×4×3!=120

n
Cr =n!/(n-r)!r! ,Where n >r
n
Therefore the binomial expansion for an express say (a+x)

an +nan-1 x +n(n-1)/2! an-2 x² +n(n-1)(n-2)/3! an-3 x³.......+xn

Finding the nth term of a binomial expansion

nth =n cr an-r xr

Where nth =r+1

Question 1:Find the fifth term of the binomial expansion of (3+x)⁷

n5= ncr an-r xr

But 5 =r+1

r=5-1 =4

Comparing the term to the general expresion ,(3+x)⁷=(a+x) n

a=3,x=x ,n=7 and r=4

n5 =7 c4 x37-4 x⁴=(35x7³)x⁴ =945x⁴