CHAPTER 5 THE BINOMIAL SERIES

EXERCISE 23 Page 50

1. Use Pascal's triangle to expand (x - y)7

From Pascal’s triangle on page 49 of textbook,

Thus,

and

i.e.

2. Expand (2a + 3b) using Pascal's triangle.

From page 49 of textbook,

Thus, replacing a with 2a and x with 3b gives:

77
EXERCISE 24 Page 51

1. Use the binomial theorem to expand (a + 2x)4

2. Use the binomial theorem to expand (2 - x)6

3. Expand (2x - 3y)4

4. Determine the expansion of

78
5. Expand (p + 2q)11 as far as the fifth term

(p + 2q)11 =

6. Determine the sixth term of

The 6th term of is

Hence, the 6th term of is: =

7. Determine the middle term of (2a - 5b)8

With power 8 there will be 9 terms in the series. The middle term will be the fifth term.

(2a - 5b)8

= +

Hence, the fifth term is: =

79
EXERCISE 25 Page 53

1. Expand in ascending powers of x as far as the term in x3, using the binomial theorem.

State in each case the limits of x for which the series is valid.

= and 1

2. Expand in ascending powers of x as far as the term in x3, using the binomial theorem.

State in each case the limits of x for which the series is valid.

= and 1

3. Expand in ascending powers of x as far as the term in x3, using the binomial theorem.

State in each case the limits of x for which the series is valid.

80
 =

The series is true provided 1 i.e. 2

4. Expand in ascending powers of x as far as the term in x3, using the binomial theorem.

State in each case the limits of x for which the series is valid.

= = =

Using the expansion of (1 + x)n,

This is valid when < 1 i.e. < 2 or - 2 < x < 2

5. Expand in ascending powers of x as far as the term in x3, using the binomial theorem.

State in each case the limits of x for which the series is valid.

= as far as the term in to

The series is true provided 1 i.e. 

81
6. Expand (2 + 3x)-6 to three terms. For what values of x is the expansion valid?

to three terms

= =

The series is true provided 1 i.e. 

7. When x is very small show that:

(a) 1+ x (b)  1 + 10x (c) 1+ x

(a)

 ignoring the term and above

(b)
 1 + 12x – 2x ignoring the term and above

 1 + 10x

(c)

 ignoring the term and above

82
8. If x is very small such that x2 and higher powers may be neglected, determine the power series for

 ignoring the term and above

  

 =4-

9. Express the following as power series in ascending powers of x as far as the term in x2. State in

each case the range of x for which the series is valid.

(a) (b)

(a)
as far as the term in

 as far as the term in

The series is valid if 1

(b)

83
  as far as the term in

 as far as the term in

 neglecting terms and above

The series is valid provided 1 i.e. 

EXERCISE 26 Page 55

1. Pressure p and volume v are related by pv3 = c, where c is a constant. Determine the approximate

percentage change in c when p is increased by 3% and v decreased by 1.2%.

New pressure = 1.03p = (1 + 0.03)p and new volume = 0.988v = (1 – 0.012)v

New value of c = (1 + 0.03)p(1 – 0.012) 3v3

= pv3(1 + 0.03)(1 – 0.012) 3

 pv3(1 + 0.03 – (3)0.012)

 pv3(1 + 0.03 – 0.036)  pv3(1 – 0.006)

i.e. 99.4% of the original value of c

Thus, the approximate percentage change in c is a reduction of 0.6%

2. Kinetic energy is given by mv2. Determine the approximate change in the kinetic energy when
mass m is increased by 2.5% and the velocity v is reduced by 3%.

84
New mass = 1.025 m = (1 + 0.025)m and new velocity = 0.97 v = (1 – 0.03)v

New kinetic energy =


i.e. 96.5% of the original kinetic energy.

Thus, the approximate change in kinetic energy is a reduction of 3.5%

3. An error of +1.5% was made when measuring the radius of a sphere. Ignoring the products of

small quantities determine the approximate error in calculating (a) the volume, and (b) the surface

area.

(a) Volume of sphere, V =

New volume =
= 1.045 V

i.e. the volume has increased by 4.5%

(b) Surface area of sphere, A =

New surface area =

= 1.03 A

i.e. the surface area has increased by 3.0%

4. The power developed by an engine is given by I = k PLAN, where k is a constant. Determine the

approximate percentage change in the power when P and A are each increased by 2.5% and L and

N are each decreased by 1.4%.

I = k PLAN

New power =


85
i.e. 102.2% of the original power.

Thus, the approximate percentage change in power is an increase of 2.2%

5. The radius of a cone is increased by 2.7% and its height reduced by 0.9%. Determine the

approximate percentage change in its volume, neglecting the products of small terms.

Volume of cone =

New volume = 

i.e. 104.5% of the original volume.

Thus, the approximate percentage change in volume is an increase of 4.5%

6. The electric field strength H due to a magnet of length 2l and moment M at a point on its axis

distance x from the centre is given by:

H=

Show that if l is very small compared with x, then H 

7. The shear stress t in a shaft of diameter D under a torque T is given by:  =

Determine the approximate percentage error in calculating  if T is measured 3% too small and D

86
 1.5% too large.

New value of T = (1 – 0.03)T and new value of D = (1 + 0.015)D

Hence, new shear stress =

i.e. the new shear stress has decreased by 7.5%

8. The energy W stored in a flywheel is given by: W = kr5 N2, where k is a constant, r is the radius

and N the number of revolutions. Determine the approximate percentage change in W when r is

increased by 1.3% and N is decreased by 2%.

W = kr5 N2

New energy = k(1 + 0.013) 5r5 (1 – 0.02) 2N2

 kr5 N2(1 + (5)0.013 – (2)0.02)

 kr5 N2(1 + 0.065 – 0.04)  kr5 N2(1 + 0.025)

i.e. 102.5% of the original volume.

Thus, the approximate percentage change in energy is an increase of 2.5%

9. In a series electrical circuit containing inductance L and capacitance C the resonant frequency is

given by: fr = . If the values of L and C used in the calculation are 2.6% too large and

0.8% too small respectively, determine the approximate percentage error in the frequency.

87
New value of inductance = (1 + 0.026)L and new value of capacitance = (1 – 0.008)C

Hence, new resonant frequency =

i.e. the new resonant frequency is 0.9% smaller

10. The viscosity  of a liquid is given by:  = , where k is a constant. If there is an error in r of
+ 2%, in  of + 4% and I of - 3%, what is the resultant error in  ?

New value of r = (1 + 0.02)r, new value of  = (1 + 0.04)  and new value of = (1 – 0.03)

Hence, new value of viscosity =

i.e. the viscosity increases by 7%

11. A magnetic pole, distance x from the plane of a coil of radius r, and on the axis of the coil, is

subject to a force F when a current flows in the coil. The force is given by: F = ,
where k is a constant. Use the binomial theorem to show that when x is small compared to r,

then F 

88
F=

 when x is small compared to r

 

12. The flow of water through a pipe is given by: G = . If d decreases by 2% and H by
1%, use the binomial theorem to estimate the decrease in G.

New value of d = (1 - 0.02)d and new value of H = (1 – 0.01)H

Hence, new value of G =

i.e. the flow G has decreased by 5.5%

13. The Q-factor at resonance in an R-L-C series circuit is given by:

Using the binomial series, determine the approximate error in Q if R is 3% high, L is 4% high

89
 and C is 5% low.

New value of R = (1 + 0.03)R, new value of L = (1 + 0.04)L and new value of C = (1 – 0.05)C

New value of Q =

i.e. the error in the Q-factor at resonance is approximately +1.5%

14. The force of a jet of water on flat plate is given by: F = 2ρA where ρ is the density of water,

A is the area of the plate and v is the velocity of the jet. If ρ and A are constants, find the

approximate change in F when v is increased by 2.5% using the binomial series.

New value of v = (1 + 0.025)v

New value of F = 2ρA = 2ρA = 2ρA

≈ 2ρA

≈ 2ρA

≈F

i.e. the force of the jet, F, has increased approximately by 5%

90
EXERCISE 27 Page 56

1. (d) 2. (b) 3. (b) 4. (c) 5. (a)

91