[Math] How to find the Taylor series of $\sin^2(4x)$

calculustaylor expansion

I am trying to find the Taylor series of $\sin^2(4x)$ but I kept getting it wrong. The following is my work:

Apply trig identity

$$\sin^2(4x) = \frac{1-\cos(8x)}{2} $$

Use basic Taylor series which is

$$\cos(x) = \sum_{k=0}^\infty (-1)^k \frac{x^{2k}}{(2k)!}$$

Plug the Taylor series to the trig function which

$$\sin^2(4x) = \frac12 -\frac12 \sum_{k=0}^\infty (-1)^k \frac{(8x)^{2k}}{(2k)!}$$

Next, I have to find the first three non-zero term. For the first one, all I did was plug $0$ for $k$ in the function and got $0$ but got it wrong. Can anyone help me on this problem? I would appreciate it a lot!

Best Answer

$$\sin^2(4x)$$

We know that $\sin^2(4x)=\dfrac{1-\cos8x}{2}$ and $\cos x=\sum_{n=0}^{\infty}(-1)^n\dfrac{x^{2n}}{(2n)!}$

$$\cos8x=\sum_{n=0}^{\infty}(-1)^n\dfrac{(8n)^{2n}}{(8n)!}$$ and we get $$\sin^2(4x)=\dfrac{1-\cos8x}{2}=\dfrac12-\dfrac12\sum_{n=0}^{\infty}(-1)^n\dfrac{(8x)^{2n}}{(2n)!}$$

The first non-zero terms are $16x^2-\dfrac{256x^4}{3}+\dfrac{8192x^6}{45}$

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