a)
\(\begin{array}{l}{\left( {{x^2} + 2y} \right)^3} = {\left( {{x^2}} \right)^3} + 3.{\left( {{x^2}} \right)^2}.2y + 3.{x^2}.{\left( {2y} \right)^2} + {\left( {2y} \right)^3}\\ = {x^6} + 6{x^4}y + 12{x^2}{y^2} + 8{y^3}\end{array}\)
b)
\({\left( {\dfrac{1}{2}x - 1} \right)^3} = {\left( {\dfrac{1}{2}x} \right)^3} - 3.{\left( {\dfrac{1}{2}x} \right)^2}.1 + 3.\dfrac{1}{2}x{.1^2} - {1^3} = \dfrac{1}{8}{x^3} - \dfrac{3}{4}{x^2} + \dfrac{3}{2}x - 1\)