Binomial theorem with more than 2 terms

Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
8 replies · 2K views
dyn
Messages
774
Reaction score
63
Hi.
Is the binomial theorem ##(1+x)^n = 1+nx+(n(n-1)/2)x^2 + ….## valid for x replaced by an infinite series such as ##x+x^2+x^3+...## with every x in the formula replaced by the infinite series ?

If so , does the modulus of the infinite series have to be less than one for the series to converge ?
 
Mathematics news on Phys.org
My question arises from an example I have just come across regarding finding the residue of ##1/(z^5cos(z))## about the point z=0. The cos(z) is written out as a power series and then it seems the binomial theorem is applied to it with x replaced by the power series and n= -1. Is the modulus of that power series less than one ?
 
The example expands ##1/coz(z)## as a binomial of the form ##(1+x)^n## with ## x## represented by the infinite power series starting with ##-z^2/2!## and ##n= -1##
 
A power series such as ##z^5\cos z## is a limit, as every infinite series. So we have the quotient ##1## divided by that limit of partial sums. You asked whether this can be calculated by as limit of ##1## divided by those partial sums. Write down what you have, with limits instead of ##\infty##. This is only a symbol. If you want to know what you can do with it, you have to use its definition.
 
If I am using the binomial expansion to find the residue ie. the coefficient of the ##1/z## term does it even matter if the series converges ? Whether it converges or not I should get the correct coefficient ?