BINOMIAL THEOREM 163

8.2.1 Binomial theorem for any positive integer n,

(a + b)n = nC0an + nC1an–1b + nC2an–2 b2 + ...+ nCn – 1a.bn–1 + nCnbn
Proof The proof is obtained by applying principle of mathematical induction.
Let the given statement be
P(n) : (a + b)n = nC0an + nC1an – 1b + nC2an – 2b2 + ...+ nCn–1a.bn – 1 + nCnbn
For n = 1, we have
P (1) : (a + b)1 = 1C0a1 + 1C1b1 = a + b
Thus, P (1) is true.
Suppose P (k) is true for some positive integer k, i.e.
(a + b)k = kC0ak + kC1ak – 1b + kC2ak – 2b2 + ...+ kCkbk ... (1)
We shall prove that P(k + 1) is also true, i.e.,
(a + b)k + 1 = k+1
C0 ak + 1 + k+1
C 1 ak b + k+1
C2 ak – 1b2 + ...+ k+1
Ck+1 bk + 1
Now, (a + b)k + 1 = (a + b) (a + b)k
= (a + b) (kC0 ak + kC1ak – 1 b + kC2 ak – 2 b2 +...+ kCk – 1 abk – 1 + kCk bk)
[from (1)]
= kC0 ak + 1 + kC1 akb + kC2ak – 1b2 +...+ kCk – 1 a2bk – 1 + kCk abk + kC0 akb
+ kC1ak – 1b2 + kC2ak – 2b3+...+ kCk-1abk + kCkbk + 1
[by actual multiplication]
= kC0ak + 1 + (kC1+ kC0) akb + (kC2 + kC1)ak – 1b2 + ...
+ (kCk+ kCk–1) abk + kCkbk + 1 [grouping like terms]
= k + 1C0a k + 1 + k + 1C1akb + k + 1C2 ak – 1b2 +...+ k + 1Ckabk + k + 1Ck + 1 bk +1
k+1 k+1
(by using C0=1, kCr + kCr–1 = Cr and k
Ck = 1= k + 1Ck + 1)
Thus, it has been proved that P (k + 1) is true whenever P(k) is true. Therefore, by
principle of mathematical induction, P(n) is true for every positive integer n.
We illustrate this theorem by expanding (x + 2)6:
(x + 2)6 = 6C0x6 + 6C1x5.2 + 6C2x422 + 6C3x3.23 + 6C4x2.24 + 6C5x.25 + 6C6.26.
= x6 + 12x5 + 60x4 + 160x3 + 240x2 + 192x + 64
Thus (x + 2)6 = x6 + 12x5 + 60x4 + 160x3 + 240x2 + 192x + 64.

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Observations
n

1. The notation ∑
k =0
n
C k a n− k b k stands for

C0a b + C1an–1b1 + ...+ nC ran–rbr + ...+nCnan–nbn, where b0 = 1 = an–n.

n n 0 n

Hence the theorem can also be stated as

n
( a + b) n = ∑ n C k a n − k b k .
k =0

2. The coefficients nCr occuring in the binomial theorem are known as binomial
coefficients.
3. There are (n+1) terms in the expansion of (a+b)n, i.e., one more than the index.
4. In the successive terms of the expansion the index of a goes on decreasing by
unity. It is n in the first term, (n–1) in the second term, and so on ending with zero
in the last term. At the same time the index of b increases by unity, starting with
zero in the first term, 1 in the second and so on ending with n in the last term.
5. In the expansion of (a+b)n, the sum of the indices of a and b is n + 0 = n in the
first term, (n – 1) + 1 = n in the second term and so on 0 + n = n in the last term.
Thus, it can be seen that the sum of the indices of a and b is n in every term of the
expansion.
8.2.2 Some special cases In the expansion of (a + b)n,
(i) Taking a = x and b = – y, we obtain
(x – y)n = [x + (–y)]n
= nC0xn + nC1xn – 1(–y) + nC2xn–2(–y)2 + nC3xn–3(–y)3 + ... + nCn (–y)n
= nC0xn – nC1xn – 1y + nC2xn – 2y2 – nC3xn – 3y3 + ... + (–1)n nCn yn
Thus (x–y)n = nC0xn – nC1xn – 1 y + nC2xn – 2 y2 + ... + (–1)n nCn yn
Using this, we have (x–2y)5 = 5
C0x5 – 5C1x4 (2y) + 5C2x3 (2y)2 – 5C3x2 (2y)3 +
5
C4 x(2y)4 – 5C5(2y)5
= x5 –10x4y + 40x3y2 – 80x2y3 + 80xy4 – 32y5.
(ii) Taking a = 1, b = x, we obtain
(1 + x)n = nC0(1)n + nC1(1)n – 1x + nC2(1)n – 2 x2 + ... + nCnxn
= nC0 + nC1x + nC2x2 + nC3x3 + ... + nCnxn
Thus (1 + x)n = nC0 + nC1x + nC2x2 + nC3x3 + ... + nCnxn

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In particular, for x = 1, we have

2n = nC0 + nC1 + nC2 + ... + nCn.
(iii) Taking a = 1, b = – x, we obtain
(1– x)n = nC0 – nC1x + nC2x2 – ... + (– 1)n nCnxn
In particular, for x = 1, we get
0 = nC0 – nC1 + nC2 – ... + (–1)n nCn
4
 2 3
Example 1 Expand  x +  , x ≠ 0
 x
Solution By using binomial theorem, we have
4 2 3 4
 2 3 4 3  3  3  3
 x +  = C0(x2)4 + 4C1(x2)3  x  + 4C2(x2)2   + 4C3(x2)   + 4C4  
x    x  x  x
3 9 27 81
= x8 + 4.x6 . + 6.x4 . 2 + 4.x2. 3 + 4
x x x x
108 81
= x8 + 12x5 + 54x2 + + .
x x4
Example 2 Compute (98)5.
Solution We express 98 as the sum or difference of two numbers whose powers are
easier to calculate, and then use Binomial Theorem.
Write 98 = 100 – 2
Therefore, (98)5 = (100 – 2)5
= 5C0 (100)5 – 5C1 (100)4.2 + 5C2 (100)322
– 5C3 (100)2 (2)3 + 5C4 (100) (2)4 – 5C5 (2)5
= 10000000000 – 5 × 100000000 × 2 + 10 × 1000000 × 4 – 10 ×10000
× 8 + 5 × 100 × 16 – 32

= 10040008000 – 1000800032 = 9039207968.

Example 3 Which is larger (1.01)1000000 or 10,000?
Solution Splitting 1.01 and using binomial theorem to write the first few terms we
have

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(1.01)1000000 = (1 + 0.01)1000000
1000000 1000000
= C0 + C1(0.01) + other positive terms

= 1 + 1000000 × 0.01 + other positive terms

= 1 + 10000 + other positive terms

> 10000

Hence (1.01)1000000 > 10000

Example 4 Using binomial theorem, prove that 6n–5n always leaves remainder
1 when divided by 25.
Solution For two numbers a and b if we can find numbers q and r such that
a = bq + r, then we say that b divides a with q as quotient and r as remainder. Thus, in
order to show that 6n – 5n leaves remainder 1 when divided by 25, we prove that
6n – 5n = 25k + 1, where k is some natural number.
We have
(1 + a)n = nC0 + nC1a + nC2a2 + ... + nCnan
For a = 5, we get
(1 + 5)n = nC0 + nC15 + nC252 + ... + nCn5n

i.e. (6)n = 1 + 5n + 52.nC2 + 53.nC3 + ... + 5n

i.e. 6n – 5n = 1+52 (nC2 + nC35 + ... + 5n-2)

or 6n – 5n = 1+ 25 (nC2 + 5 .nC3 + ... + 5n-2)

or 6n – 5n = 25k+1 where k = nC2 + 5 .nC3 + ... + 5n–2.

This shows that when divided by 25, 6n – 5n leaves remainder 1.

EXERCISE 8.1
Expand each of the expressions in Exercises 1 to 5.
5
2 x
1. (1–2x)5 2.  –  3. (2x – 3)6
 x 2

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 BINOMIAL THEOREM 167

5 6
x 1  1
4.  +  5.  x + 
3 x  x
Using binomial theorem, evaluate each of the following:
6. (96)3 7. (102)5 8. (101)4
9. (99)5
10. Using Binomial Theorem, indicate which number is larger (1.1)10000 or 1000.
11. Find (a + b)4 – (a – b)4. Hence, evaluate ( 3 + 2)4 – ( 3 – 2 )4 .
12. Find (x + 1)6 + (x – 1)6. Hence or otherwise evaluate ( 2 + 1)6 + ( 2 – 1)6.
13. Show that 9n+1 – 8n – 9 is divisible by 64, whenever n is a positive integer.
n

14. Prove that ∑3

r =0
r n
C r = 4n .

8.3 General and Middle Terms

1. In the binomial expansion for (a + b)n, we observe that the first term is
n
C0an, the second term is nC1an–1b, the third term is nC2an–2b2, and so on. Looking
at the pattern of the successive terms we can say that the (r + 1)th term is
n
Cran–rbr. The (r + 1)th term is also called the general term of the expansion
(a + b)n. It is denoted by Tr+1. Thus Tr+1 = nCr an–rbr.
2. Regarding the middle term in the expansion (a + b)n, we have
(i) If n is even, then the number of terms in the expansion will be n + 1. Since
th
 n +1+1
n is even so n + 1 is odd. Therefore, the middle term is   , i.e.,
 2 
th
n 
 +1 term.
2 
th
8 
For example, in the expansion of (x + 2y) , the middle term is  +1  i.e.,
8
2 
5th term.

(ii) If n is odd, then n +1 is even, so there will be two middle terms in the

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th
 n +1 
th
 n +1 
expansion, namely,   term and  + 1 term. So in the expansion
 2   2 
th th
 7 +1   7 +1 
(2x – y) , the middle terms are 
7  , i.e., 4th and  + 1 , i.e., 5th term.
 2   2 

2n th
 1  2 n +1 + 1 
3. In the expansion of  x +  , where x ≠ 0, the middle term is   ,
 x  2 
i.e., (n + 1)th term, as 2n is even.
n
1
It is given by Cnx   = 2nCn (constant).
2n n
x
This term is called the term independent of x or the constant term.
Example 5 Find a if the 17th and 18th terms of the expansion (2 + a)50 are equal.
Solution The (r + 1)th term of the expansion (x + y)n is given by Tr + 1 = nCrxn–ryr.
For the 17th term, we have, r + 1 = 17, i.e., r = 16
Therefore, T17 = T16 + 1 = 50C16 (2)50 – 16 a16
= 50C 16 234 a16.
Similarly, T18 = 50C 17 233 a17
Given that T17 = T 18
50
So C 16 (2)34 a16 = 50C 17 (2)33 a17

50
C 16 . 2 34 a 17
Therefore 50
=
C 17 . 2 33 a 16
50
C16 × 2 50! 17! . 33!
i.e., a= 50 = × × 2 =1
C17 16!34! 50!

Example 6 Show that the middle term in the expansion of (1+x) 2n is

1.3.5...(2n − 1)
2n xn, where n is a positive integer.
n!

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 BINOMIAL THEOREM 169

th
 2n 
Solution As 2n is even, the middle term of the expansion (1 + x)2n is  + 1 ,
 2 
i.e., (n + 1)th term which is given by,
(2n)! n
Tn+1 = 2nCn(1)2n – n(x)n = 2nCnxn = x
n! n!

2n (2n − 1) (2n − 2) ...4.3.2.1 n

= x
n! n!

1.2.3.4...(2n − 2) (2n − 1) (2n) n

= x
n!n!
[1.3.5 ... (2n – 1)][2.4.6...(2n)] n
= x
n!n!

[1.3.5...(2n − 1)]2 n [1.2.3...n] n

= x
n!n!
[1.3.5...(2n − 1)] n! n n
= 2 .x
n! n!

1.3.5...(2n − 1) n n
= 2 x
n!
Example 7 Find the coefficient of x6y3 in the expansion of (x + 2y)9.
Solution Suppose x6y3 occurs in the (r + 1)th term of the expansion (x + 2y)9.
Now Tr+1 = 9Cr x9 – r (2y)r = 9Cr 2 r . x9 – r . y r .
Comparing the indices of x as well as y in x6y3 and in Tr + 1 , we get r = 3.
Thus, the coefficient of x6y3 is
9! 3 9.8.7 3
9
C3 2 3 = .2 = . 2 = 672.
3! 6! 3.2

Example 8 The second, third and fourth terms in the binomial expansion (x + a)n are
240, 720 and 1080, respectively. Find x, a and n.
Solution Given that second term T2 = 240

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We have T2 = nC1xn – 1 . a
n
So C1xn–1 . a = 240 ... (1)
Similarly n
C2xn–2 a2 = 720 ... (2)
n n–3 3
and C3x a = 1080 ... (3)
Dividing (2) by (1), we get
n
C 2 x n− 2 a 2 720 (n − 1)! a
= i.e., . =6
n
C1 x n −1a 240 (n − 2)! x
a 6
or = ... (4)
x ( n − 1)
Dividing (3) by (2), we have
a 9
= ... (5)
x 2( n − 2)
From (4) and (5),
6 9
=
n −1 2 (n − 2) . Thus, n = 5

a 3
Hence, from (1), 5x4a = 240, and from (4), =
x 2
Solving these equations for a and x, we get x = 2 and a = 3.
Example 9 The coefficients of three consecutive terms in the expansion of (1 + a)n
are in the ratio1: 7 : 42. Find n.
Solution Suppose the three consecutive terms in the expansion of (1 + a)n are
(r – 1)th, rth and (r + 1)th terms.
The (r – 1)th term is nCr – 2 ar – 2, and its coefficient is nCr – 2. Similarly, the coefficients
of rth and (r + 1)th terms are nCr – 1 and nCr , respectively.
Since the coefficients are in the ratio 1 : 7 : 42, so we have,
n
Cr −2 1
n
= , i.e., n – 8r + 9 = 0 ... (1)
C r −1 7
n
C r −1 7
and n
= , i.e., n – 7r + 1 = 0 ... (2)
Cr 42
Solving equations(1) and (2), we get, n = 55.

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