Binomial Expansion

EasyMedium
123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960616263646566676869707172737475767778798081828384858687888990919293949596
Question 50
Medium

In a materials science laboratory, the expansion factor of a synthetic polymer PPP relative to temperature change ttt is modeled by the function:

P(t)=(2+kt4)5P(t) = \left(2 + \frac{kt}{4}\right)^5P(t)=(2+4kt​)5

where kkk is a non-zero constant.

a.

Find the first 4 terms, in ascending powers of ttt, of the binomial expansion of P(t)P(t)P(t). Give each term in its simplest form.

[4]
b.

To account for sensor drift, a corrected expansion model R(t)R(t)R(t) is defined as:

R(t)=(5+3t)P(t)R(t) = (5 + 3t)P(t)R(t)=(5+3t)P(t)

Given that in the expansion of R(t)R(t)R(t), the coefficient of the ttt term is equal to the constant term, determine the value of kkk.

[4]

Binomial Expansion Questions

  1. A Level
  2. /Maths
  3. /Binomial Expansion