(2x-1)5 has 5+1 or 6 terms. Construct Pascal's triangle down to the 6th line, the one that starts "1 5". Each line starts and ends with 1 and every number is gotten by adding two adjacent numbers to get the number between and below. For instance the 2 in the third line is gotten by adding the two 1's above it and on each side of it. The 3 on the 4th line is gotten by adding the 1 and 2 just above it. 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 3 3 1 1 4 6 4 1 1 5 10 10 5 1 That 6 numbers on the bottom line are the "binomial coefficients" of the 6 terms. Incidentally, they are also the combinations of 5 things taken 0 through 5 at a time. Notice below the pattern of exponents of the two terms (2x) and (-1) carefully how one starts at 5 and goes down to 0 and the other starts and 0 and goes up to 5: 1(2x)5(-1)0+5(2x)4(-1)1+10(2x)3(-1)2+10(2x)2(-1)3+5(2x)1(-1)4+1(2x)0(-1)5 Simplify those 6 terms by using ordinary rules of exponents and multiplication of algebra, remembering that (-1) raised to an even power is +1 and when raised to an odd power is -1 which makes the signs alternate between + to -: 32x5-80x4+80x3-40x2+10x-1 Edwin