The binomial theorem is a result in algebra that gives a formula for expanding a power of a two term expression such as x plus y raised to the n. It states that when this expression is expanded, each term takes the form of a coefficient multiplied by x raised to one exponent and y raised to another, where the two exponents always add up to n. For example, x plus y raised to the fourth power expands to x to the fourth, plus four x cubed y, plus six x squared y squared, plus four x y cubed, plus y to the fourth. The coefficient of each term, known as a binomial coefficient, depends only on n and the exponent of x, and the theorem gives a systematic way to compute every one of these coefficients without multiplying the expression out term by term.
Facts
StatementFor a positive integer n, the binomial theorem gives the expansion of the two term sum x plus y raised to the n as the sum, for k running from 0 to n, of the binomial coefficient n choose k times x raised to the power n minus k times y raised to the power k. 1 Classification
Statement Form Sources
1. Binomial Theorem (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia Foundationlead paragraph, statement of the theorem
In elementary algebra, the binomial theorem (or binomial expansion) describes the algebraic expansion of powers of a binomial.
History section, rigorous proof by induction
The second formula was rigorously proven by Pascal in 1654 through the use of complete induction.
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