7

Binomial Theorem and

its Application
AIEEE Syllabus

CHAPTER

Binomial theorem for a positive integral index, General term and middle
term, Properties of Binomial coefficients and Simple applications

BINOMIAL EXPRESSION
An algebraic expression containing only two terms is called a binomial
expression. Such as a + x, 2x + 5y, 2 x

1 a b
,
etc. all are binomal
x
y

THIS CHAPTER
INCLUDES :

Binomial expression,
Binomial thorem for
positive integral
index

General term in the

expansion of (x + y)n

Middle term in the

expansion of (x + y)n

pth term from the

end in expansion of
(x + y)n

Numerically greatest
term in the
expansion of (1 + x)n

Properties of
binomial coefficients

Some relation
involving binomial
coefficients

Some useful
expansions.

Solved examples

expressions.

BINOMIAL THEOREM FOR POSITIVE INTEGRAL INDEX

If x, y R, then n N
(x + y)n = nC0xn + nC1xn 1y + nC2xn 2y2 + .... + nCrxn ry r + .... + nCn yn
Here all nCr's are called binomial coefficient

n!
n
Cr
r ! (n r )!

C0 1 Cn

C1 n

C r nC n r ; 1 r n

Note : (i)

n is the exponent or index of binomial

(ii) Total number of terms n + 1

(iii) The (r + 1)th term = Tr + 1 = nCrxn ry

(iv) Sum of exponents of x and y in any term = n

(v) Powers of x go on decreasing by 1 and powers of y go on
increasing by 1 in subsequent terms
(vi) In any term suffix of binomial coefficient is power of y
(a) Replacing y with y in the expansion of (x + y)n, we get
(x y)n = nC0xn nC1xn 1y + nC2xn 2y2 ..... + (1)n nCn y n
(b) Replacing x by 1 and y with x, we get
(1 + x)n = nC0 + nC1x + nC2x2 + ......... + nCnxn

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Binomial Theorem and its Application

AIEEE/State CETs

(c) (1 x)n = nC0 nC1x + nC2x2 .......... + (1)n nCnxn

(d) (x + y)n + (x y)n = 2[nC0xn + nC2xn 2 + .......]
= 2[Sum of terms at odd places]
last term nCn yn if n is even and nCn 1xy n 1 if n is odd
(e) (x + y)n (x y)n = 2[Sum of terms at even places]
last term nCn 1xyn 1 if n is even and nCn yn if n is odd
Illustration 1 :
In the expansion of (x + y)n, if the sum of odd terms be A and that of even terms be B, then 4AB equals.
(1)

(x + y)n + (x y)n

(2) (x + y)n (x y)n

(3)

(x + y)2n (x y)2n

(4) (x + y)2n + (x y)2n

Solution :
(x + y)n = A + B
(x y)n = A B
4AB = (A + B)2 (A B)2
= (x + y)2n (x y)2n
Hence Ans is (3)

General term in the expansion of (x + y)n

The (r + 1)th term = Tr
Tr

+1

is called the general term.

nC r x n r y r

Illustration 2 :
Find (i)
(ii)

coefficient of x9 and
term independent of x
1

in the expansion of x 2

3x

Solution :
1

Tr 1 nCr ( first term)n r (second term)r in the expansion of x 2

3x

r
(1)r
9
2 9 r
r 1
9Cr r x 18 3r
Tr 1 Cr ( x ) (1)
3
3x

(i) We want coefficient of x9

18 3r = 9
3r = 9 ; r = 3

1
28

9
33
(ii) For the term independent of x, we want the power of x to be 0.
18 3r = 0 ;
r=6

Coefficient of x9 is 9 C3 ( 1)3

T6 1 9C 6

( 1) 6
3

987
63

28
.
243

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AIEEE/State CETs

Binomial Theorem and its Application

Middle term in the expansion of (x + y)n

Case 1.
n = 2m ; m N
Then, number of terms in the expansion = n + 1 = 2m + 1; Thus middle term is Tm + 1
n

i.e. 1
2

th

term
n

Tm 1 nC n x 2 , y 2
2

Case 2.
n = 2m + 1 ; m N
Then, number of terms in the expansion is = n + 1 = 2m + 2. There are two middle terms, viz. Tm 1 and Tm 2 .
n 1

i.e.
2

th

Tm 1 C n 1

n 3

and
2
n 1
x 2

th

term

n 1
2

Tm 2 nC n 1 x

n 1
2

n 1
2

Illustration 3 :
Find the middle term in the expansion of
(i) (3x + 2y)10
3

(ii) 2 x
x

Solution :
10

1
(i) Since 10 is even number hence middle term will be
2

th

i.e. 6th term

T6 = 10C5(3x)10 5 (2y)5
10.9.8.7.6
3 5 25 x 5 y 5
5.4.3.2.1

= 7 27 37 x5y5
9 1

(ii) Since 9 is odd number, so there will be two middle term i.e.
2
i.e. 5th and 6th terms

th

9 3

and
2

th

terms

3
T5 = C4(2x) = 9C4.25.34.x
x
9

3
T6 = C5(2x) = 9C5.24.35.x1
x
9

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Binomial Theorem and its Application

AIEEE/State CETs

pth term from the end in the expansion of (x + y)n

pth term from end = (n + 2 p)th term from begining
= n Cn p 1x p 1y ( n p 1)
Illustration 4 :
x3
2
2
Find the 4 term from end in the expansion of
2
x

th

Solution :
4th term from end = (9 4 + 2) = 7th term from begining

x3
i.e. T7 9C6
2

2 6 672

3
x 2
x

Numerically greatest term in (1 + x)n

The method for finding the greatest term is as below :
1. Find the value of K

(n 1) | x |
.
1 | x |

2. If K is an integer, then TK and TK + 1 both are equal and greatest.

3. If K is not an integer then T[K] + 1 is the greatest term where [K] is the greatest integral part of K.
n

4. To find the greatest term in (x + y) = x 1 , find the greatest term in 1 and multiply with xn.
x
x

Illustration 5 :
Find the greatest term in the expansion of (2 + 3x)9 if x

3
.
2

Solution :
In the expansion of (x + a)n
Tr 1
1 r
Tr

n 1
x
1
a

91
10
90
12

9
6
2
94
13
13
1
3
3
2

rmax. = 6
3
9
9 6
Tr 1 C6 2 3
2

9!
312
21 12
8 6
3 .
6!3!
2
2

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AIEEE/State CETs

Binomial Theorem and its Application

Properties of Binomial Coefficients

In the expansion of (1 + x)n, the coefficients, nC0, nC1, nC2 ..... nCn are denoted by C0, C1, C2 ....... Cn then.
1. If n is even, then greatest coefficient is nCn/2.
2. If n is odd, then greatest coefficients are nC(n 1)/2 or nC(n +1)/2
3. r.nCr = n.n 1Cr 1 0 < r n.
n 1

4.

5.

Cr

Cr

r 1
n

Cr

nCr

n 1

n
r

n 1

C( r

1)

n r 1
r

6.

nCr 1

7.

nCr 1 nCr

8.

nC x nCy x y or x + y = n

9.

nC
r

n 1
Cr

= nCn r
(n 1) (n 2)
where n N.
2
(2) Sum of all coefficients in the expansion of (x1 + x2 + ..... + xK)n is obtained by keeping each
xi = 1 so it is kn.

Note : (1) The number of terms in the expansion of (x + y + z)n is

Some Relation involving Binomial Coefficients

(1 + x)n = 1 + nC1x + nC2x2 + ......... + nCnxn

(1)

Relation (1) is important. Many properties of binomial coefficients are obtained by

(i) Giving different values to x in (1) and/or
(ii) Differentiating (1) with respect to x and then putting convenient values of x, and/or
(iii) Integrating (1) with respect to x and then putting convenient values of x.
Some important relation are given below :
n

1.

Cr C0 C1 C2 ....... Cn 2 n

r 0

2. C0 + C2 + C4 ......... = C1 + C3 + ........ = 2n 1
n

3.

r.

Cr C1 2C2 3C3 ........ nCn n.2n 1

r 1 or 0

4.

nCr

r 1

r 0

2n 1 1
n 1

5. C0 C1 + C2 C3 + ......... + (1)n Cn = 0
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Binomial Theorem and its Application

AIEEE/State CETs

6.

C02 C12 .........Cn2

( C )

2n

Cn

r 0

7.

2n!
(n! )2

0, if n is odd
C02 C12 C22 C32 (1) nCn2 ..........
n/2 n
( 1) . Cn / 2 if n is even

8. C0C1 + C1C2 + .......... + Cn 1Cn = 2nCn 1

Illustration 6 :
Show that C02 + 2C12 +.......+(n + 1)Cn2 =

(n 2) (2n 1)
n ! (n 1)!

Solution :
Let S = C02 + 2C12 +......+(n + 1)Cn2
Also S = (n + 1)Cn2 + nCn21 + (n 1)C2n2 +.......+ C02
S+S

= (n + 2)C02 + (n + 2) C12 +......+(n + 2)Cn2

2S = (n + 2)[C02 + C12 +......+Cn2] ( n 2)

( 2n ) !
(n ! )2

(n 2)(2n 1) !
n ! (n 1) !

SOLVED EXAMPLES
Example 1 :
If the coefficients of rth, (r + 1)th and (r + 2)th terms in the expansion of (1 + x)14 are in A.P., find r.
Solution :
In the expansion of (1 + x)14, the rth, (r + 1)th and (r + 2)th terms are

Tr 14Cr 1x r 1

Tr 1 14Cr x r

and the coefficients are

14

Cr 1,

14

Cr and

2 (14 Cr ) 14Cr 1 14Cr 1

2
1
1

r (14 r ) (15 r ) (14 r ) (r 1) r

Tr 2 14Cr 1 x r 1

14

Cr 1 respectively

14 !
14 !
14 !

r ! (14 r ) ! (r 1) ! (15 r ) ! (r 1) ! (13 r ) !

Multiplying throughout by r(r + 1) (14 r) (15 r), we have

2(r 2 14r 15 ) r 2 r 210 29r r 2

r 2 14r 45 0 ; r = 5

or

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AIEEE/State CETs

Binomial Theorem and its Application

Example 2 :
Evaluate (0.99)15 correct to four decimal places.
Solution :
(0.99)15 = (1 0.01)15

1 15C1(0.01) 15C 2 (0.01)2 15C3 (0.01)3

1 15(0.01) 105 (0.01)2 455 (0.01)3
1 0.15 0 .0105 0.000455

(0.99 )15 1.0105 0.1504

= 0.8601
Example 3 :
Find the coefficient of x4 in the expansion of (1 x x 2 x 3 )11
Solution :

(1 x x 2 x 3 )11 (1 x )11 (1 x 2 )11

Terms in the expansion of (1 + x2)11 would involve even powers of x only.
Term involving x4 in (1 + x)11(1 + x2)11 can arise in following ways :
x4 from (1 + x)11 and

x0 from (1 + x2)11

x2 from (1 + x)11 and

x2 from (1 + x2)11

x0 from (1 + x)11 and

x4 from (1 + x2)11

Coefficient of x4 in (1 x x 2 x 3 )11 is
11

C4 11C0 11C2 11C1 11C0 11C2

11 10 9 8 11 10
11 10

11
= 330 + 605 + 55 = 990.
24
2
2

Example 4 :
Show that 6n + 2 + 72n + 1 is divisible by 43 n N .
Solution :
6 n 2 7 2n 1

36 6 n 7 ( 49)n (43 7) 6 n 7 ( 43 6)n

43 6 n 7 6 n 7 ( 43k 6 n ) (write the binomial expansion of (43 + 6)n)

multiple of 43
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Binomial Theorem and its Application

AIEEE/State CETs

Example 5 :
Prove the following :
(i)

C0Cr C1Cr 1 C2Cr 2 ......... Cn r Cn

In particular, C02 C12 ......... C n2

(ii)

Ci C j 2 n 1

0 i j n

(2n ) !
(n r ) ! (n r ) !

(2n ) !
(n ! )2

(2n ) !
.
2n ! n !

Solution :
(i)

(1 x )2n

2n
2n

Cj x j

(1)

j 0

(1 x )2n (1 x )n ( x 1)n
(1 nC1x nC2 x 2 ..... nCn x n ) ( nC0 x n nC1x n 1 ..... nCn )
Coefficient of xn + r in (1) is

(2)

2nC
n+ r

Coefficient of xn + r in (2) is
C0 Cr C1 Cr 1 C2 Cr 2 ....... Cn r Cn

C0Cr C1Cr 1 ........ Cn r Cn

(ii) C0 C1 ....... Cn 2 n

(2n ) !
.
(n r ) ! (n r ) !

where C r nCr

(C0 C1 ....... Cn )2 2 2n
n

2
i

i 1

0 i j n

C C
i

0 i j n

Ci C j 2 2n

2n !
2 2n

(n ! )2

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