Chapter 11: Problem 352
For the following exercises, find the indicated term of each binomial without fully expanding the binomial. The fourth term of \((3 x-2 y)^{5}\)
Short Answer
Expert verified
The fourth term is \(-720x^2y^3\).
Step by step solution
01
Identify the Term Formula
To find a specific term in the expansion of a binomial expression \((a + b)^n\), use the formula for the \((k+1)\)-th term, which is given by \(T_{k+1} = \binom{n}{k} a^{n-k} b^k\). We want to find the fourth term, so \(k = 3\).
02
Apply the Known Values
Apply the known values to the formula. In this problem, \(a = 3x\), \(b = -2y\), and \(n = 5\). Let \(k = 3\) to find the fourth term: \(T_4 = \binom{5}{3} (3x)^{5-3} (-2y)^3\).
03
Calculate the Binomial Coefficient
Calculate the binomial coefficient \(\binom{5}{3}\), which is \( \frac{5 \times 4}{2 \times 1} = 10\).
04
Compute the Powers of the Binomial Terms
Compute the powers: \((3x)^{5-3} = (3x)^2 = 9x^2\) and \((-2y)^3 = -8y^3\).
05
Multiply the Components
Combine all components to find the coefficient for the fourth term: \(T_4 = 10 \times 9x^2 \times (-8y^3) = -720x^2y^3\).
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Binomial Coefficients
Binomial coefficients play a crucial role when expanding expressions raised to a power, notably in binomial expansions. These coefficients are numerical factors that determine the weight of each term within the expansion. The binomial coefficient is denoted as \( \binom{n}{k} \), which is read as "n choose k". It is calculated using the formula \( \binom{n}{k} = \frac{n!}{k!(n-k)!} \), where \( n! \) represents the factorial of n. The factorial function \( n! \) is the product of all positive integers up to \( n \).
- For example, to find \( \binom{5}{3} \), you calculate it as \( \frac{5 \times 4 \times 3}{3 \times 2 \times 1} = 10 \).
- This coefficient indicates how many combinations of 3 items can be selected from a set of 5 items.
Polynomial Expansion
The polynomial expansion process involves breaking down expressions of the form \((a + b)^n\) into a sum of terms, each multiplied by a binomial coefficient. The Binomial Theorem provides a formula to quickly calculate these expansions. Each term in the expansion can be written as \( \binom{n}{k} a^{n-k} b^k \). This formula takes into account:
- The binomial coefficient, \( \binom{n}{k} \), which decides the numeric multiplier.
- The decreasing powers of \( a \) and increasing powers of \( b \) as \( k \) increases from 0 to \( n \).
Term Calculation
Term calculation within a binomial expansion focuses on finding terms quickly using the Binomial Theorem. Instead of expanding the entire expression, you can directly calculate any term using the formula \( T_{k+1} = \binom{n}{k} a^{n-k} b^k \).
Here's a step-by-step way to compute a specific term, such as the fourth term in \((3x - 2y)^5\):
Here's a step-by-step way to compute a specific term, such as the fourth term in \((3x - 2y)^5\):
- Set the variables: Identify \( a = 3x \), \( b = -2y \), and \( n = 5 \). To find the fourth term, use \( k = 3 \) since the term formula is \( T_{k+1} \).
- Compute the binomial coefficient: \( \binom{5}{3} = 10 \).
- Calculate the powers: Evaluate \((3x)^{5-3} = (3x)^2 = 9x^2 \) and \((-2y)^3 = -8y^3 \).
- Final calculation: Multiply all components: \( T_4 = 10 \times 9x^2 \times (-8y^3) = -720x^2y^3 \).