Advanced Higher Maths: Maclaurin Series

Course content

  • Using Maclaurin expansion to find specified terms of a power series
  • Combining Maclaurin expansions to find a power series
  • Using the standard power series for \(\raise 0.2pt{e^{x}}\small,\normalsize\) \(\raise 0.2pt{sin\,x}\small,\normalsize\) \(\raise 0.2pt{cos\,x}\) and \(\raise 0.2pt{ln(1\small\!\pm\,\normalsize\!x)}\)
  • Discussing convergence conditions.

Textbook page references

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Maclaurin expansion

$$ \begin{eqnarray} f(x) &=& \sum^{\normalsize \infty}_{\normalsize {n=0}}\,\small\frac{f^{(n)}(0)}{n!}\normalsize\,x^n \\[6pt] &=& f(0)+f'(0)\small\,\normalsize x+\small\frac{f''(0)}{2!}\,\normalsize x^2 \\[6pt] && +\small\frac{f'''(0)}{3!}\,\normalsize x^3+\small\frac{f^{\textsf{iv}}(0)}{4!}\,\normalsize x^4+\small\,\tiny\cdots \end{eqnarray} $$

Standard power series

$$ e^x=1+x+\small\frac{x^2}{2!}\normalsize+\small\frac{x^3}{3!}\normalsize+\small\frac{x^4}{4!}\normalsize+\tiny\,\cdots\small\ (x\!\in\!\mathbb R)$$ $$ sin\,x=x-\small\frac{x^3}{3!}\normalsize+\small\frac{x^5}{5!}\normalsize-\small\frac{x^7}{7!}\normalsize+\tiny\,\cdots\small\ (x\!\in\!\mathbb R)$$ $$ cos\,x=1-\small\frac{x^2}{2!}\normalsize+\small\frac{x^4}{4!}\normalsize-\small\frac{x^6}{6!}\normalsize+\tiny\,\cdots\small\ (x\!\in\!\mathbb R)$$ $$ ln(1\!+\!\tiny\,\normalsize x)=x-\small\frac{x^2}{2}\normalsize+\small\frac{x^3}{3}\normalsize-\tiny\,\cdots\small\ (-1\!\lt\!x\!\leq\!1)$$ $$ ln(1\!-\!\tiny\,\normalsize x)=-x-\small\frac{x^2}{2}\normalsize-\small\frac{x^3}{3}\normalsize-\tiny\,\cdots\small\ (-1\!\leq\!x\!\lt\!1)$$

Historical note

Colin Maclaurin (1698–1746) was a Scottish mathematician. A child prodigy, he entered the University of Glasgow aged only 11 and gained his ... read more

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Colin Maclaurin (1698–1746) was a Scottish mathematician. A child prodigy, he entered the University of Glasgow aged only 11 and gained his MA degree at 14. He became professor of mathematics at the University of Aberdeen at just 19, and his record as the world's youngest professor stood until 2008. Maclaurin contributed much to our understanding of arithmetic progressions, elliptic integrals and gravitational attraction. His Maclaurin series are a special case of the Taylor series, named after the English mathematician Brook Taylor (1685-1731). Maclaurin is buried at Greyfriars Kirkyard in Edinburgh.

Recommended student books

Leckie: Advanced Higher Maths book 
Hodder: 'How to Pass' revision book 

Example 1 (non-calculator)

Given \(f(x)=e^{3x}\small,\normalsize\) obtain the Maclaurin expansion for \(f(x)\) up to, and including, the term in \(\raise 0.3pt{x^3}\small.\normalsize\)

Example 2 (non-calculator)

Given \(f(x)=sin\,4x\small,\normalsize\) obtain the Maclaurin expansion for \(f(x)\) up to, and including, the term in \(\raise 0.3pt{x^3}\small.\normalsize\)

Example 3 (non-calculator)

Use the answers from the previous two examples to obtain the Maclaurin expansion for \(\raise 0.3pt{e^{3x}\tiny\,\normalsize sin\,4x}\) up to, and including, the term in \(\raise 0.3pt{x^3}\small.\)

Example 4 (non-calculator)

Use the answer to Example 3 to obtain the first three non-zero terms of the Maclaurin expansion for \(\large\frac{d}{dx}\normalsize(e^{3x}\tiny\,\normalsize sin\,4x)\small.\)

Example 5 (non-calculator)

Given the following power series:
$$ sec^{2}\,x = 1+x^2+\small\frac{2}{3}\normalsize x^4+\tiny\cdots $$ deduce the Maclaurin series for \(\raise 0.3pt{tan\,2x}\) up to, and including the term in \(\raise 0.3pt{x^5}\small.\)

Example 6 (calculator)

SQA Advanced Higher Maths 2023 Paper 2 Q15(a)

A function \(f(x)\) has the following properties:
• \(f'(x)=\large\frac{x+1}{1+(x+1)^4}\)
• the first term in the Maclaurin expansion of \(f(x)\) is \(1\small.\)
Find the Maclaurin expansion of \(f(x)\) up to and including the term in \(x^2\small.\)

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Past paper questions

2016 Exemplar Paper Q8
2016 Specimen Paper Q8
2016 Paper Q6 (solution)
2018 Paper Q17 (solution)

Other great resources

Notes - Auchmuty High School
Notes - St Machar Academy
Notes and exercises
- St Andrew's Academy
Notes - Hyndland Secondary School
Lesson notes - Maths 777
1. Introduction to Maclaurin series
2. Combinations and compositions
3. Differentiation and integration
Notes and examples - Maths Mutt

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