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8. BINOMIAL THEOREM

PASCAL’S TRIANGLE

Pascal’s triangle is a triangle with 1at the top vertex and running down the two slanting sides. It was
introduced by a French Mathematician Blaise Pascal. It is also known as Meru Prastara or Pingla.

Index Coefficients Expanded form

0 1 1
1 1 1 ab
2 1 2 1 a2  2ab  b2
3 1 3 3 1 a3  3a2b  3ab2  b3
4 1 4 6 4 1 a4  4a3b  6a2b2  4ab3  b4
5 1 5 10 10 5 1 a5  5a4b  10a3b2  10a2b3  5ab4  b5
6 1 6 15 20 15 6 1 a6  6a5b  15a4b2  20a3b3  15a2b4  6ab5  b6

Binomial Theorem

For any positive integer ‘n’, we have,

1.  a  b n  an n C1 an 1b n C2 an2b2 n C3 an 3b3  ... n Cr anr br  ...  br
2.  a  b n  an n C1 an 1b n C2 an 2b2 n C3 an 3b3  ...   1r  n Cr an r br  ...   1n br

Properties:

i. The expansion has  n  1 terms

ii. The index of ‘a’ in the first term is same as the index of  a  b  . In succeeding terms, the index of ‘a’
decreases by 1 and in the term, it is ‘0’.
iii. The index of ‘b’ in the first term is ‘0’. In succeeding terms, the index of ‘b’ increases by 1 and in the
term, it is same as the index of  a  b  .

iv. The term n Cr a n  r br is known as  r  1 term or general term in the expansion and is denoted by
th

tr 1 .
v. The sum of the indices of a and b in each term is same as n, the index of  a  b  .
vi. Since n Cr  n Cn r , the coefficients equidistant from either end are equal.
E.g.: n C0 n Cn ; nC1 n Cn1; nC2 n Cn2 , etc.

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Questions and Answers:

1. Expand  2x  y 
5

Here a  2 x, b  y, n  5

 2x  y    2 x  5 C1  2 x  y  5 C2  2 x  y 2 5 C3  2 x  y 3  5 C4  2 x 
5 5 51 5 2 5 3 5 4
y 4  y5
 25 x5  5  24 x 4 y  10  23 x3 y 2  10  22 x 2 y 3  5  21 x1 y 4  y 5
 32 x5  80 x 4 y  80 x3 y 2  40 x 2 y 3  10 xy 4  y 5
2. Expand  2x  y 
5

a  2 x, b  y, n  5
 2x  y    2 x  5 C1  2 x  y  5 C2  2 x  y 2 5 C3  2 x  y 3  5 C4  2 x 
5 5 51 5 2 5 3 5 4
y 4  y5
 25 x5  5  24 x 4 y  10  23 x3 y 2  10  22 x 2 y 3  5  21 x1 y 4  y 5
 32 x5  80 x 4 y  80 x3 y 2  40 x 2 y 3  10 xy 4  y 5
3. Expand 1  2x 
5

1  x n  1  nC1x  nC2 x 2  n C3 x3  ....

 1  2 x   1  5C1  2 x   5C2  2 x   5C3  2 x   5C4  2 x   5C5  2 x 

5 2 3 4 5

5 4
5C1  5  5C2   10  5C3  5C2  10  5C4  5C1  5
1 2
     
 1  2 x   1  5  2 x   10 4 x 2  10 8 x3  5 6 x 4  1  25 x5
5

 1  10 x  40 x 2  80 x3  80 x 4  32 x5

4. Using binomial theorem, indicate which number is larger 1.1

10000
or 1000.

1.110000  1  0.110000
 110000  10000C1  0.1  10000C 2  0.1  Positive terms
2

 1  10000  0.1  Positive terms

 1  1000  Positive terms
 1001  positive terms
 1000
 1.1
10000
 1000.
5. Expand 1026
 100  2  1006 6 C1 1005  2 6 C2 1004  22 6 C3 1003  23 6 C4 1002  24 6 C5 1001  25  26
6

 1000000000000  6  10000000000  2  15  100000000  4  20 1000000  8  15  10000  16  600  32  64

 1000000000000  120000000000  6000000000  160000000  2400000  19200  64
 1006002400060  120160019200
 885842380864

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6. 986
 100  2  1006 6 C1 1005  2 6 C2 1004  22  6 C3 1003  23  6 C4  1002  24  6 C5  1001  25  26
6

 1000000000000  6  10000000000  2  15  100000000  4  20 1000000  8  15 10000  16  600  32  64

 1000000000000  120000000000  6000000000  160000000  2400000  19200  64
 1126162419260

7. Find  a  b    a  b  . Hence evaluate    

4 4
3 2 3 2
4 4

 a  b   a  b
4 4

a  b
4
 a 4  4 C1  a 3  b  4 C2  a 2  b  4 C3  a  b3  b 4
a  b
4
 a 4  4 C1  a 3  b  4 C2  a 2  b  4 C3  a  b3  b 4
      

a  b  a  b  2 4 C1  a 3b  2 4 C3  a  b3  8a 3b  4ab3  8ab  a 2  b 2 
4 4

    8 3 2  3     2    8 6 3  2   40 6
4 4 2 2
 3 2 3 2


Note:
1  x 
n
i)  1  nC1 x  nC2 x 2  ...  nCn x n

1  x   1  nC1 x  nC2 x 2  ...   1 .n Cn x n

n n
ii)

8. Show that 9n1  8n  9 is divisible by 64, whenever n is a positive integer.

   
9n 1  9n9  9 1  8   9 1  nC1 8   nC2 82  nC3 83  ... 
n

 9n 1  8n  9  9 1  8n  C 8   C 8   ...   8n  9
n
2
2 n
3
3

 9  72n  9  C  8   9  C  8   ...  8n  9
n
2
2 n
3
3

 64n  9  C  8   9  C  8   ...
n
2
2 n
3
3

 64  n  9  nC2  9  nC3  8   ... 

 64d , divisible by 64.
Hence proved.

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n
9. Prove that  3r . nCr  4n
r 0
n
LHS   3r . nCr  30.n C0  31. nC1  32. nC2  ...  3n. nCn
r 0
 1  nC1.31  nC2 .32  ...  n Cn .3n || 30  1, nC0  nCn  1
 1  3
n

 4n  RHS

General term in the expansion of  a  b 

n

The general term, tr 1  nCr a n  r br

Middle term(s) in the expansion of  a  b 

n

Since the binomial expansion of  a  b  contains  n  1 terms, so

n

th
n 
i) If n is even, then   1 term is the middle term (only one middle term).
2 
 n 1   n3
th th

ii) If n is odd, then   and   are the middle terms (two middle terms).
 2   2 

NOTE: The following example will help you to clear the idea.
12
 3 
Find the general term, 4th term, coefficient of x6 and the term independent in the expansion of  x   .
 x2 
General term:
3
Here a  x, b   , n  12
x2
tr 1  nCr a nr b r
r r
12 r  3  12 r 12 r  1 
  2   Cr  3 x
12
 Cr x  2
 x  x 
 12Cr  3 x12r x 2r  12Cr  3 x12r 2r
r r

tr 1  12Cr  3 x123r .............(1)

r

To find the 4th term:

r  1  4  r  4 1  3

 t31  12C3  3 x123(3)

3

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12 1110
t4    27  x3  220  27 x3  5940 x3
1 2  3

To find the coefficient of x 6 :

6
From (1), 12  3r  6  12  6  3r  6  2
3
 t21  12C2  3 x123(2)
2

12  11
t3   9 x6  594 x6
1 2

The term independent of x :

To get the term independent of x,12  3r  0  12  3r  r  4

(1) Becomes:
 t41  12C4  3 x123(4)
4

12  11  10  9
t5   81x0  495  81  40095
1 2  3  4

The middle term:

Here n  12  even  . Hence there is only one middle term.

th
 12 
Middle term    1 term  7th term
 2 
r  1  7  r  7 1  6
 t61  12C6  3 x123(6)
6

12  11  10  9  8  7
t7    729  x 6
1 2  3  4  5  6
673596
 924  729 x 6 
x6

Problems:

Find the coe. of x5 in  x  3

8
1.
a  x ,b  3 ,n  8
t r 1 n Cr a n r .br
8 Cr x8r .3r
t r 1 8 Cr .3r .x8r ................(1)

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Toget coe. of x 5 , put r  3
in (1), we have,
t 31 8 C3 .33 .x83
8 7  6
  27  x 5
1 2  3
 56  27x 5
 1512x 5
 coe. of x 5  1512

Find the coe. of a 5b7 in  a  2b 

12
2.

a  a, b  2b;n  12
t r 1  n Cr a12r  2b 
r

12 Cr .a12r  2  .b r
r

t r 1 12 Cr  2  .a12r .b r ...............(1)

r

To get the coe. of a 5b7 , put r  7

in 1 

t 71 12 C7  2  .a127 .b7

7

12 C7  2  .a 5 .b7
7

 792  128 a 5 b7
12  11  10  9  8
 coe. of a 5 b7  101376 || 12C7  12C5   11  72  792
1 2  3  4  5

 x2  y 
6
3. Write the general term in the expansion of

a  x 2 , b   y, n  6
The general term  tr 1 n Cr a n r .b r

 
nr
6 Cr . x 2   y r
6 Cr  1 .x122r . y r
r

 x2  y 2 
12
4. Write the general term in the expansion of ,x  0

a  x 2 , b   yx, n  12
The general term , tr 1  nCr a nr .br

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 
12r
  yx r  12Cr x 242r  1 y r x r
r
tr 1  12Cr x 2

 12Cr  1 x 24r y r  12Cr  1 x 24r y r

r r

5. Find the 4th term in the exp antion of  x  2 y 12

a  x, b  2 y, n  12
tr 1  nCr a nr br

tr 1  12C3 x123 . 2 y 
3

 12C3 .x9 .  2  . y 3
3

12  11  10
 220  x9  8  . y 3  1760 x9 y 3 || 12C3   2  11 10  220
1 2  3

18
th  1 
6. Find the 13 term in the exp ansion of  9 x   , x  0?
 3 x
1
a  9x ,b   , n  18
3 x
tr 1  n Cr a n r b r
12
1812  1 
t121  18C12 .  9 x   
3 x 
 112
t13  C6 .  9 x  .
18 6

 x
12
312
1
 18C6  96  x 6 .
6 6
9 .x
 t13  18564
_________________________________
18  17  16  15  14  13
18C6 
1 2  3  4  5  6
 112  1
12
 1 1
12
 x
12
  x2   x2  x6
 
 

 
6
312  32  96
7
 x3 
7. Find the middle terms in the exp antion of  3  
 6 

th
 7 1
Here n  7 (odd ). Hence, there are 2 middle terms . They are   term and
 2 

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th
 7 1 
  1 terms. i.e., 4th term and 5th term .
 2 
x3
a  3 ;b   ; n  7
6
tr 1  nCr a n r .b r
3
7 3
 x3 
7
t31  C3  3  
 6 
 
 x9
 35  34.
63
35  81   x9

216
105 9
 x
8
Again
4
74
 x3 
7
t41  C4  3  
 6 
 

 
4
 x3 765
 7 C3  33  || 7C4  7C7 4  7C3   35
6 4 1 2  3
x12 35 12 35 12
 7 C3  33   x  x
4
3 2 4 3  16 48

10
x 
8. Find the middle terms in the exp antion of   9 y 
3 
 10 
Here n  10  even  , there is only are middle term and middle term    1 th   5  1 th  6th term.
 2 
x
a  , b  9 y , n  10
3
tr 1  n Cr a n r . b r
105
x
  9y
10 5
t51  C5   
3
x5
 252   95  y 5
5
3
x5
 252  . 310  y 5  252  35  x5 y 5
5
3
 252  243 x5 y 5  61236 x5 y 5

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m n
9. In the exp antion of 1  a  , u sin g binomial therom , prove that coefficient of am and an are equal.

m n
We have, 1  a   mnC0  mnC1 a  mn C2 a 2  ........  mnCr a r  .......  a mn

Coe. of a m  m  nCm


 m  n !
m! m  n  m !


 m  n !
m! n!
n m n
Coe.of a  Cn
 m  n !

n ! m  n  n !
 m  n !

n! m!


 m  n !
m! n!
m
 Coe. of a and coe.of a n are equal.

10. The coefficient of the  r  1 , r th and  r  1 terms of  x  1 areintheratio 1: 3: 5. Find both n and r
th th n

Let the coe.of  r  1 , r th and  r  1 terms be nCr 2 and nCr 2 , nCr 1 and nCr in that
th th

n n
Cr  2 1 Cr 1 3
 and 
n 3 n 5
Cr 1 Cr
n! n!
 r  2     r  2  ! 1
!  n      r  1 ! 3
r  1 !  n
  and 
n! 3 n! 5
    
r  1 !  n  r  1  ! r ! n  r !
n! n!
 r  2 ! n  r  2 !  1 and
 r  1! n  r  1!  3
n! 3 n! 5
 r  1! n  r  1! r ! n  r !
 r  1! n  r  1! 1 r ! n  r ! 3
 and 
 r  2 ! n  r  2 ! 3  r  1! n  r  1! 5
 r  2 ! r  1 n  r  1! 1  r  1!r  n  r ! 3
 and 
 r  2 ! n  r  1! n  r  2  3  
r  1 ! n  r ! n  r  1 5

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Remesh’s Maths Coaching
---------------------------
 r  1 1 r 3
 and 
 n  r  2 3  n  r  1 5
3  r  1  1 n  r  2  and 5r  3  n  r  1
3r  3  n  r  2 and 5r  3n  3r  3
3r  3  n  r  2  0 and 8r  3n  3  0 ...............(2)
4r  n  5  0 ...................(1)
1  3   4 
12r  3n  15  0
8r  3n  3  0
( ) (  ) (  )
4r  12  0
4r  12
12
r 3
4
in  4 
8  3  3n  3
 3n  3  24  3n  21  n  7

You should practice example questions as well as miscellaneous for the preparation of entrance
examinations.

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