Find ${\left( {a + b} \right)^4} - {\left( {a - b} \right)^4}$. Hence, evaluate ${\left( {\sqrt 3 + \sqrt 2 } \right)^4} - {\left( {\sqrt 3 - \sqrt 2 } \right)^4}$.
Show solutionHide solution
Ans. Using Binomial Theorem, the expressions, ${\left( {a + b} \right)^4}$ and ${\left( {a - b} \right)^4}$ , can be expanded as
\[\begin{gathered} {\left( {a + b} \right)^4} = {}^4{C_0}{a^4} + {}^4{C_1}{a^3}b + {}^4{C_2}{a^2}{b^2} + {}^4{C_3}a{b^3} + {}^4{C_4}{b^4} \\ {\left( {a - b} \right)^4} = {}^4{C_0}{a^4} - {}^4{C_1}{a^3}b + {}^4{C_2}{a^2}{b^2} - {}^4{C_3}a{b^3} + {}^4{C_4}{b^4} \\ \end{gathered} \] Therefore, \[\begin{gathered} {\left( {a + b} \right)^4} - {\left( {a - b} \right)^4} = {}^4{C_0}{a^4} + {}^4{C_1}{a^3}b + {}^4{C_2}{a^2}{b^2} + {}^4{C_3}a{b^3} + {}^4{C_4}{b^4} - \\ \left[ {{}^4{C_0}{a^4} - {}^4{C_1}{a^3}b + {}^4{C_2}{a^2}{b^2} - {}^4{C_3}a{b^3} + {}^4{C_4}{b^4}} \right] \\ = 2\left( {{}^4{C_1}{a^3}b + {}^4{C_3}a{b^3}} \right) \\ = 2\left( {4{a^3}b + 4a{b^3}} \right) \\ = 8ab\left( {{a^2} + {b^2}} \right) \\ \end{gathered} \] By putting $a = \sqrt 3 $ and $b = \sqrt 2 $, we obtain \[\begin{gathered} {\left( {\sqrt 3 + \sqrt 2 } \right)^4} - {\left( {\sqrt 3 - \sqrt 2 } \right)^4} = 8\left( {\sqrt 3 } \right)\left( {\sqrt 2 } \right)\left[ {{{\left( {\sqrt 3 } \right)}^2} + {{\left( {\sqrt 2 } \right)}^2}} \right] \\ = 8\sqrt 6 \left( {3 + 2} \right) \\ = 40\sqrt 6 \\ \end{gathered} \]