THE BINOMIAL THEOREM

Learning Objectives
1. illustrate Pascal’s Triangle in the expansion of (x + y)n for
small positive integral values of n
2. prove the Binomial Theorem
3. determine any term of (x + y)n, where n is a positive
integer, without expanding
4. solve problems using the Binomial Theorem
Permutation and Combination
Permutation
n!
n−k !

Combination
n!
k! n − k !
The Binomial Theorem
1
11
121
1331
14641
1 5 10 10 5 1
1 6 15 20 15 6 1
1 7 21 35 35 21 7 1
 Expand the following
7
1. a+b
a7 + 7a6b + 21a5b2 + 35a4b3 + 35a3b4 + 21a2b5 + 7ab6 + b7
5
2. 2x − y
(2x)5+5(2x)4(-y)+10(2x)3(-y)2+10(2x)2(-y)3+5(2x)(-y)4+(-y)5
32x5 – 80x4y + 80x3y2 – 40x2y3 + 10xy4 – y5
1
11
121
1331
14641
1 5 10 10 5 1
1 6 15 20 15 6 1
1 7 21 35 35 21 7 1
The Binomial Theorem
If n ∈ N and a, b ∈ R, then
n n
n
n n−j j n j n−j
a+b =෍ a b =෍ ab
j j
j=0 j=0
Find the coefficient of:

1. x6y4 in the expansion of (x + y)10

10 10! 10(9)(8)(7)
= = = 𝟐𝟏𝟎
6 6! 4! 4(3)(2)(1)

2. x6y7 in the expansion of (x2 – y)10

x6y7 = (x2)3y7
10 10 6 7
x 2 3 7
−y = − xy
3 3
10 10! 10 9 8
− = = = −𝟏𝟐𝟎
3 3! 7! 3 2 1
Find the coefficient of x8 in the expansion of (x2 – 4)6

x8 = (x2)4

6 6 8
x2 4 −y 2 = 16 x
4 4

6 16(6) 16 6 5
16 = = = 𝟐𝟒𝟎
4 4! 2! 2
Exercises
1. Find the sum of all odd integers bet 20 and 100
2. Find the sum of all two-digit positive integers
3. Expand 𝑥 + 2𝑦 6
4. Expand 2𝑥 − 4𝑦 4
1 4
5. Find the coefficient of 𝑦2 in (𝑦 + )
2
6. Find the coefficient of 𝑥 7 in (𝑥 + 3)10