A2 grade Binomial expansion work sheet Thursday 14/9/2023

Q1 Expand (3 + 2𝑥)−3 in ascending powers of 𝑥 up to and including the term in 𝑥 2 , simplifying

the coefficients. [4]

3
Q2 Expand (2 − 𝑥)(1 + 2𝑥)−2 in ascending powers of 𝑥, up to and including the term in 𝑥 2 ,
simplifying the coefficients. [4]

1+3𝑥
Q3 Expand in ascending powers of 𝑥 up to and including the term in 𝑥 2 , simplifying the
√1+2𝑥

coefficients. [4]

1−𝑥
Q4 Expand √(
1+𝑥
) in ascending powers of 𝑥, up to and including the term in 𝑥 2 , simplifying

the coefficients. [5]

2
Q5 When (1 + 2𝑥)(1 + 𝑎𝑥) , where 𝑎 is a constant, is expanded in ascending powers of 𝑥, the
3

coefficient of the term in 𝑥 is zero.

(i) Find the value of 𝑎. [3]

2
3
(ii) When 𝑎 has this value, find the term in 𝑥 in the expansion of (1 + 2𝑥)(1 + 𝑎𝑥) , simplifying
3

the coefficient. [4]

1+𝑥
Q6 (i) Express in partial fractions. Answer to part i is (since we didn’t take it yet)[5]
(1−𝑥)(2+𝑥 2 )

2 2 1
𝑥−
3
+3 3
2
1−𝑥 2+𝑥

1+𝑥
(ii) Hence obtain the expansion of in ascending powers of 𝑥, up to and including the
(1−𝑥)(2+𝑥 2 )

term in 𝑥 2 . [5]
Q7 When (𝑎 + 𝑏𝑥)√1 + 4𝑥, where 𝑎 and 𝑏 are constants, is expanded in ascending powers of
𝑥, the coefficients of 𝑥 and 𝑥 2 are 3 and -6 respectively.
Find the values of 𝑎 and 𝑏.
Q8 Show that, for small values of 𝑥 2 ,

2
(1 − 2𝑥 2 )−2 − (1 + 6𝑥 2 )3 ≈ 𝑘𝑥 4 ,

where the value of the constant 𝑘 is to be determined. [6]

Q9 (i) Simplify (√1 + 𝑥 + √1 − 𝑥)(√1 + 𝑥 − √1 − 𝑥), showing your working, and deduce that
[2]

1 √ 1 + 𝑥 − √1 − 𝑥
= .
√1 + 𝑥 + √1 − 𝑥 2𝑥

(ii) Using this result, or otherwise, obtain the expansion of

1
√1 + 𝑥 + √ 1 − 𝑥

in ascending powers of 𝑥, up to and including the term in 𝑥 2 . [4]