Chapter 11: Problem 11
Expand each power. $$ (a-b)^{3} $$
Short Answer
Expert verified
\((a-b)^3 = a^3 - 3a^2b + 3ab^2 - b^3\).
Step by step solution
01
Identify the Formula
To expand the expression \((a-b)^3\), we use the binomial theorem, which states that \((a-b)^n = \sum_{k=0}^{n} \binom{n}{k} a^{n-k}(-b)^{k}\). Here, \(n=3\), so we need to compute the expansion using this formula.
02
Apply the Binomial Theorem
For \((a-b)^3\), apply the binomial expansion: \[(a-b)^3 = \sum_{k=0}^{3} \binom{3}{k} a^{3-k}(-b)^{k}\]. We need to compute each term in this expansion separately.
03
Calculate Each Term
Compute the terms:- For \(k=0\), the term is \(\binom{3}{0} a^{3}(-b)^{0} = 1 \cdot a^3 = a^3\).- For \(k=1\), the term is \(\binom{3}{1} a^{2}(-b)^{1} = 3a^2(-b) = -3a^2b\).- For \(k=2\), the term is \(\binom{3}{2} a^{1}(-b)^{2} = 3a(-b)^2 = 3ab^2\).- For \(k=3\), the term is \(\binom{3}{3} a^{0}(-b)^{3} = 1(-b)^3 = -b^3\).
04
Combine Terms
Combine all the terms from Step 3 to form the expanded expression:\[(a-b)^3 = a^3 - 3a^2b + 3ab^2 - b^3\].
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Binomial Expansion
Expanding a binomial expression means expressing it as a sum of terms. For example, when you see something like \((a - b)^3\), you can use the Binomial Theorem to break it down into a series of individual components. This is the process of binomial expansion. The Binomial Theorem provides a formula for this expansion:
- The expression is written as \( (a-b)^n = \sum_{k=0}^{n} \binom{n}{k} a^{n-k}(-b)^{k} \).
- Here, the key elements include \( \binom{n}{k} \), which is a binomial coefficient representing the number of ways to choose \(k\) elements from \(n\) elements.
- The expression \(a^{n-k}\) represents the decreasing powers of \(a\), and \((-b)^k\) represents the increasing powers of \(-b\).
Algebraic Expressions
An algebraic expression like \((a-b)^3\) involves numbers, variables, and symbols that represent mathematical operations. These expressions can be quite complex but are a fundamental part of algebra. Understanding how to manipulate them can make tasks such as expansion much simpler. Key aspects include:
- Variables like \(a\) and \(b\) that can represent unknown numbers.
- Operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and exponentiation.
- When expanding expressions, it's crucial to manage these elements systematically.
Polynomial Expansion
Polynomial expansion is about rewriting expressions like \((a-b)^3\) as a sum of simpler terms. By applying binomial expansion, we convert a compact expression into a more expanded format. Here’s how polynomial expansion works:
- Each term calculated in the expansion has a specific degree, determined by the powers of the variables involved.
- As seen in \( (a-b)^3 = a^3 - 3a^2b + 3ab^2 - b^3 \), the expression is expanded by calculating each possible term.
- This process reveals how each component contributes to the overall expression by clearly showing the interaction between \(a\) and \(b\).