5.

BINOMIAL THEOREM
Quick Review
1. If n is a positive integer then ( x + a)n = n C 0 x n + nC1x n 1a + n C 2 x n 2 a 2 + ... + nCr x n r a r + ...... + nCna n .
2. The expansion of ( x + a)n contains (n + 1) terms.
3. In the expansion, the sum of the powers of x and a in each term is equal to n.
4. In the expansion, the coefficients n C 0 , nC1, n C 2 ,...,n Cn are called binomial coefficients and these
are simply denoted by C0 , C1, C 2 ,..., Cn .
5. In the expansion, (r + 1)th term is called the general term. It is denoted by Tr +1 . Thus Tr +1 =
n
Cr x n r ar .
n
6. ( x + a )n =
r =0
n
Cr x n r a r .

n n
7. ( x a )n =
r =0
n
Cr x n r ( a)r = (1)
r =0
n n
Cr x n r ar = n C 0 x n n C1x n 1a + n C 2 x n 2 a 2 ... + ( 1)n n Cn a n

n
8. (1 + x )n = r =0
n
Cr x r = n C 0 + n C1x + n C 2 x 2 + ... + n Cn x n = C 0 + C1x + C 2 x 2 + ... + Cn x n

9. Middle term(s) in the expansion of (x + a)n :

i) If n is even then + 1 th term is the middle term.

n
2
n+1 n+3
ii) If n is odd then th and th terms are the middle terms.
2 2
10. Numerically greatest term in the expansion of (1 + x)n :
(n + 1) | x |
i) If = p, a positive integer then pth and (p+1)th terms are the numerically greatest terms
| x | +1
in the expansion of (1 + x)n.
(n + 1) | x |
ii) If = p+F where p is a positive integer and 0 < F < 1 then (p+1)th term is the
| x | +1
numerically greatest term in the expansion of (1+x)n.
11. If Cr denotes n Cr then
i) C0 + C1 + C 2 + ... + Cn = 2n
ii) C0 + C 2 + C 4 + ... = C1 + C3 + C 5 + ... = 2n 1
n n
12. i)
r =0
n
Cr = 2n ii) (1)
r =0
r n
Cr = 0

13. aC0 + (a + d)C1 + (a + 2d)C2 ++ (a + nd)Cn =

(2a + nd) 2n1.
14. C1 + 2 C 2 x + 3 C 3 x 2 + ... + n C n x n 1 = n(1 + x) n 1
 Binomial Theorem
15. i) C1 + 2 C 2 + 3 C3 + ... + n Cn = n 2n 1
ii) C1 2 C 2 + 3 C 3 ...... = 0
n n
16. i) r.
r =0
n
Cr = n.2n 1 ii) (1) r.
r =0
r n
Cr = 0

C1 C C (1 + x) n +1 1
17. C0 + x + 2 x 2 + .... + n x n = .
2 3 n +1 (n + 1) x
(2n)!
18. C 0 C r + C1C r +1 + C 2 C r + 2 + ..... + C nr C n = 2n
C n r = .
(n r )! (n + r )!
(2n)!
19. C 02 + C12 + C 22 + ... + Cn2 = .
(n! ) 2

20. Binomial Theorem for rational index : If n is a rational number and |x| < 1 then
n(n + 1) 2 n(n 1)(n 2) 3
1+nx + x + x + .... = (1 + x )n .
2! 3!
21. If |x| < 1 then
i) (1 + x)1 = 1 x + x 2 x 3 + ... + ( 1)r x r + ...
ii) (1 x)1 = 1 + x + x 2 + x 3 + ... + x r + ...
iii) (1+x)2= 1 2x + 3 x 2 4 x 3 + ... + ( 1)r (r + 1)x r + ...
iv) (1 x)2 = 1 + 2x + 3x 2 + 4x 3 + ... + (r + 1)x r + ...
n(n 1) 2 n(n 1)(n 2) 3
v) (1 + x ) n = 1 nx + x x + ...
2! 3!
n(n + 1) 2 n(n + 1)(n + 2) 3
vi) (1 x ) n = 1 + nx + x + x + ...
2! 3!
p 2 3
x p(p + q) x p(p + q)(p + 2q) x
vii) (1 x ) q = 1 + p + + + ...
p 2! p 3! p
22. If |x| < 1 and n is a positive integer, then
i) (1 x ) n = 1 + nC1x + (n +1)C 2 x 2 + (n + 2)C 3 x 3 + ...
ii) (1 + x ) n = 1 n C1x + (n +1)C 2 x 2 (n + 2)C3 x 3 + ...
n
np m
23. Coefficient of x m in the expansion of ax p + q is the coefficient of Tr +1 where r =
b
.
x p+q
n
24. The term independent of x in the expansion of ax p + q is Tr +1 where r =
b np
.
x p+q

Tr +1 n r + 1 a
25. In the expansion ( x + a)n , = .
Tr r x

n! n
26. The general term in the expansion of ( x1 + x 2 + ... + x p )n is x n1 x n2 ...x np where
n1! n 2 !...np ! 1 2
n1 + n 2 + ... + np = n.

2
 Binomial Theorem
27. i) The coefficient of x n 1 in the expansion of (x 1)(x 2) (x n) is n(n+1)/2.
ii) The coefficient of x n 1 in the expansion of (x + 1)(x + 2) (x + n) is n(n+1)/2.
28. i) If the coefficients of pth, qth terms in the expansion of (1 + x)n are equal then p+q = n+2.
ii) If the coefficients of x r , x r +1 in the expansion of (a + x/b)n are equal then n = (r+1)(ab+1) 1.
29. i) If the coefficients of rth, (r+1)th, (r+2)th terms of (1 + x)n are in A.P. then n2 (4r+1)n + 4r2=2.
ii) If the coefficients of x r 1, x r , x r +1 are in A.P. then (n 2r)2 = n + 2.
30. If (a + b )n = I + F were I, n are positive integers, 0 < F < 1, a2 b = 1, then
i) I is an odd positive integer
ii) (I + F)( I F) = 1.
31. i) The number of terms in the expansion of ( x + a)n + ( x a)n is (n+2)/2 if n is even, (n+1)/2 if n is
odd.
ii) The number of terms in the expansion of ( x + a)n ( x a)n is n/2 if n is even, (n+1)/2 if n
is odd.
32. Sum of the coefficients of (ax + by)n is (a + b)n.
33. If f(x) = (a0 + a1x + a2x2 ++ amxm)n then
i) Sum of the coefficients = f(1).
f (1) + f ( 1)
ii) Sum of the coefficients of even powers of x is .
2
f (1) f ( 1)
iii) Sum of the coefficients of odd powers of x is .
2
2 2 2 1
34. a.C 0 + (a + d).C1 + (a + 2d).C 2 + ... + (a + nd).C n2 = (2a + nd). 2n Cn .
2
35. C 0 Cr + C1Cr + 1 + C 2 Cr + 2 + ... + Cn r Cn = 2n Cn r .
(m + n)
36. m
C 0 n Cr + m C1 n Cr 1 + m C 2 n Cr 2 + ... + m Cr n C 0 = Cr .

37. If n is a positive integer, then (1 x ) n = 1 + nC1x + (n + 1)C 2 x 2 + (n + 2)C 3 x 3 + ...