June 2012 p33 q1
2028
Expand \(\frac{1}{\sqrt{4 + 3x}}\) in ascending powers of \(x\), up to and including the term in \(x^2\), simplifying the coefficients.
Solution
We start by rewriting \(\frac{1}{\sqrt{4 + 3x}}\) as \((4 + 3x)^{-\frac{1}{2}}\).
Using the binomial expansion for \((1 + u)^n\), where \(u = \frac{3}{4}x\) and \(n = -\frac{1}{2}\), we have:
\((1 + \frac{3}{4}x)^{-\frac{1}{2}} = 1 + \left(-\frac{1}{2}\right)\left(\frac{3}{4}x\right) + \frac{\left(-\frac{1}{2}\right)\left(-\frac{3}{2}\right)}{2!}\left(\frac{3}{4}x\right)^2 + \cdots\)
Calculating each term:
First term: \(1\)
Second term: \(-\frac{1}{2} \times \frac{3}{4}x = -\frac{3}{8}x\)
Third term: \(\frac{\left(-\frac{1}{2}\right)\left(-\frac{3}{2}\right)}{2} \times \left(\frac{3}{4}x\right)^2 = \frac{3}{16} \times \frac{9}{16}x^2 = \frac{27}{256}x^2\)
Thus, the expansion up to \(x^2\) is:
\(\frac{1}{2} - \frac{3}{16}x + \frac{27}{256}x^2\)
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