Taylor's Series. If f(x) is infinitely differentiable at x=a, then f can be expanded, in an interval around a, as a power series in (x−a):
f(x)=∑n=0∞n!f(n)(a)(x−a)n=f(a)+1!f′(a)(x−a)+2!f′′(a)(x−a)2+⋯+n!f(n)(a)(x−a)n+⋯.
Why the coefficients are n!f(n)(a). Writing f(x)=A0+∑n≥1An(x−a)n and substituting x=a gives A0=f(a). Differentiating once and substituting x=a gives A1=f′(a); differentiating again gives A2=2!f′′(a); and in general, differentiating k times and substituting x=a isolates Ak=k!f(k)(a) — every other term in the sum still carries a positive power of (x−a) and vanishes at x=a.
Maclaurin's Series is simply the special case a=0:
f(x)=∑n=0∞n!f(n)(0)xn=f(0)+1!f′(0)x+⋯+n!f(n)(0)xn+⋯.
Standard Maclaurin expansions worth knowing by heart (each derived by repeatedly differentiating and evaluating at 0):
ex=1+x+2!x2+3!x3+⋯,sinx=x−3!x3+5!x5−⋯,cosx=1−2!x2+4!x4−⋯
log(1+x)=x−2x2+3x3−⋯ (−1<x≤1),tan−1x=x−3x3+5x5−⋯ (−1≤x≤1)
Working procedure for a given function.
- Compute f,f′,f′′,f′′′,… (as many derivatives as the number of required terms) and evaluate each at the expansion point (x=a for Taylor, x=0 for Maclaurin) — a small table (as in Table 7.2–7.4 of the text) keeps this organised.
- Substitute each value into n!f(n)(a)(x−a)n and sum.
- When the request is "about x=a" for a=0, always expand in powers of (x−a), never in powers of x directly.
"Upto three non-zero terms" means keep collecting derivative terms until three of them come out non-zero — for a function like logx at x=1 every one of the first three derivative terms is automatically non-zero, but for a function with some vanishing derivatives (e.g. an odd/even function expanded about 0) you may need to compute a few extra derivatives to reach three non-zero terms.
Terms like "Taylor and Maclaurin series expansion formula" and "Maclaurin series important questions" come up often for students extending their Class 12 differential calculus foundation into JEE Advanced-level problems and select state board syllabi that go beyond the core NCERT chapter to include series expansions. Recognising which standard Maclaurin expansion (for ex, sinx, log(1+x), and so on) a given function matches is the fastest route to these questions in higher-level competitive exams.