Binomial Theorem

Advanced Level Pure Mathematics

Advanced Level Pure Mathematics

Algebra
Chapter 5

Appendix 1

Binomial Theorem

Summation Sign and Product Sign

5.1

Introduction

5.3

Binomial Theorem for Positive Integral Index

10

5.4

The Greatest Coefficient and

The Term with The Greatest Absolute Value

14

5.5

More Properties of Binomial Coefficients

16

5.6*

Binomial Series

23

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Binomial Theorem
Advanced Level Pure Mathematics

Appendix 1 Summation Sign and Product Sign

n

1.

The sigma notation :

r 1

= a1 + a2 + + an 1 + an

a r = a1 + a2 + a3 + a4 + a5

Example

2.

k 0

(a
k 1

l 0

i 0

a l ai

3.

k 1

k 1

bk ) a k bk

4.

r6

r 1

If c is a constant , then

(ca
k 1

)=

5.

If c is a constant , then

c =
k 1

(a

6.

k 1

n 1

7.

k 1

8.

a k 1 =

k 0

a k 1 ) =

a
i 1

ai a j
i 1 j 1

9.

The product notation :

a
k 1

= a1 a2 an 1 an

Example

3k 2 =

3 =

k 1

10.

k 1

(a k bk ) a k bk
k 1

k 1

k 1

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Binomial Theorem
Advanced Level Pure Mathematics

11.

(ca
k 1

12.

a k
k 1

r
r 1

14*.

)=

k 1

13*.

r2
r 1

n(n 1)
2

n(n 1)( 2n 1)
6

n 2 (n 1) 2
15*. r

4
r 1
n

a
k 0

17.

kr

18.

ar
k 1

19.

r 1

= a0 + a k = an +
k 1

k 0

16.

lr l
l0

n 1

ar

k 1

k 0

n 1

k 3

n 1

ar k 1
k 2

kp k 1 ? p k

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Binomial Theorem
Advanced Level Pure Mathematics
n3

20.

C
k 1

n 1
k 1

x k C k? x ?
?

Example 1

Show that

n 1

r 1

k 2

Hence express

k k 1
k 1

Example 2

k 1 k .
in term of

n.

k 1

(a) Find the constants A and B in the following identity

x3
A
B

2
x x x 1 x

1
k 3
2
.
n
k k
k 2 k 1
n

(b) Hence evaluate lim

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Binomial Theorem
Advanced Level Pure Mathematics

5.1

Introduction
(1 + x)n = C0n C1n x C 2n x 2 ... Cnn x n .

1.

Binomial Theorem :

2.

The term Crn xr is called the general term.

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Binomial Theorem
Advanced Level Pure Mathematics
n
r

3.

C is called the binomial coefficients.

4.

(1 x)n = C0 C1 x C 2 x ... ( 1) Cn x

5.

Factorial Notation :

Example

N.B.

3! = 321

n! = n(n 1)(n 2)321

;

(1)

0! = 1

(2)

n! = n(n 1)!

(3)

n! =

9! = 987654321

(n 1)!
n 1

Combinations : n Cr , Crn , n Cr
Definition

Let n be a positive integer and r non-negative integer with r n.

Prn
n!
n(n 1) (n r 1)

The symbol C is defined as C

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

n
r

Example

C39

Example 3

Let Crn denote the binomial coefficient, show that

C0n Cnn

C1n 2C2n 3C3n

nCnn n(n 1)
n n n
.
2
C0n
C1
C2
C n 1

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Binomial Theorem
Advanced Level Pure Mathematics

Pascal Triangle :
n=0

n=1

n=2

n=3

n=4

2
3

1
3

1
4

C0n C1n Cnn1

n=n

Example

C14 C34

and

Cnn

C34 C33 C 23

Theorem 5.1 Let n be a positive integers , then

(a)

Crn Cnn r

(b) C rn C rn 1 C rn11

r = 0 , 1 , 2 , ... , n
r = 0 , 1 , 2 , ... , n1.

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Binomial Theorem
Advanced Level Pure Mathematics

Properties :
(1)

Cok = C0k 1 =

(2)

Ckk = Ckk11 =

(3)

Crn11 =

Example 4

n 1 n
Cr
r 1

Prove that

(C0n C1n )( C1n C2n ) (Cnn1 Cnn )

1
( n 1) n C1n C2n Cnn .
n!

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Binomial Theorem
Advanced Level Pure Mathematics

5.3

Binomial Theorem for Positive Integral Index

n

Theorem 5.2 For any positive integer n , (1 + x) =

n

C
r 0

i.e.

n
r

xr .

(1 + x)n = C0n C1n x C 2n x 2 ... Cnn x n

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Binomial Theorem
Advanced Level Pure Mathematics

Definition

(a + b) =
n

C
r 0

i.e.

n
r

a b

nr

Crn a n r b r
r 0

(a + b)n = C0n a n b 0 C1n a n 1b 1 Cnn1 a 1b n 1 Cnn a 0 b n

Example 5

If the coefficients of three consecutive terms in the expansion of (1 + x)n are 120 , 210 and
252 respectively, find the value of n .

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Binomial Theorem
Advanced Level Pure Mathematics

n 1

Example 6

Prove that

Crn1 x r

r 0

n 1

Example 7

Prove that

rC
r 0

n
r

1
[(1 + x)n 1 ]
x

x r = nx [(1 + x)n 1 x n 1 ].

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Advanced Level Pure Mathematics

Example 8

(a) Prove that for any positive integer n ,

(1+

n
k
1 n
1 r 1
(1 ) .
) =1+

n
n
r 1 r ! k 0

(b) Hence , or otherwise , show that for n 2 ,

(i)

(1+

1 n
1 n +1
) < (1+
) ,
n
n1

(ii)

(1+

1 n
) <3.
n

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Advanced Level Pure Mathematics

5.4

The Greatest Coefficient and The Term with The Greatest

Absolute Value
n

For (1 + x)n , when n is even , the greatest coefficient is C n , when n is odd ,

2

the greatest coefficients are C n 1 and C n 1 .

Example 9

Find the greatest coefficient in the expansion of (3 + 5x)18 and the greatest term when x =

2
.
3

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Binomial Theorem
Advanced Level Pure Mathematics

Example 10

Let the kth in the binomial expansion of (1 x ) 2 n in ascending powers of

be denoted

by Tk , i.e. Tk C 2k n1 x k 1 .
(a) If x

1
, find the range of values of k such that Tk 1 Tk .
3

(b) Find the greatest term in the expansion if x

1
and n 15 .
3

[HKAL2001]

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Binomial Theorem
Advanced Level Pure Mathematics

5.5

More Properties of Binomial Coefficients

Consider (1 x ) n C 0n C1n x C n2 x 2 C nr x r C nn x n
(a) Change

to

(*)

1
, we have
x
1

1
1
x n C 0n C1n C n2

x
x

1
1
1
(1 ) n C 0n C1n C n2
x
x

x

C nr

C nn

1
1
But (1 ) n n (1 x ) n
x
x

1
(1 x ) n x n (1 ) n
x
(1 x ) n =

C nr

C 0n x n C1n x n 1 C n2 x n 2 C nr x n r C nn

C nn C nn 1 x C nn 2 x 2 C nn r x r C 0n x n

C nn

Compared coefficient with (*)

C 0n C nn

We have

C n2 C nn 2 C nn C 0n

C1n C nn 1

(b) Put x 1 into (*)

2 n C 0n C1n C n2 C nr C nn

(c) Put

x x
(1 x ) n C 0n C1n x C n2 x 2 (1) r C nr x r (1) n C nn x n

If x 1 , (1 1) n 0 C 0n C1n C n2 (1) r C nr (1) n C nn

We have C 0n C n2 C n4 C1n C 3n C 5n

Sum of even coefficient is equal to the sum of odd coefficient

By (b),

C 0n C n2 C n4 C1n C 3n C 5n

2n
2

(d) Differentiate (*) w.r.t.x

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Binomial Theorem
Advanced Level Pure Mathematics

n (1 x )

Put x 1 ,

n 1

C 2C x rC x
n
1

n
2

n
r

r 1

nC x
n
n

n 1

n (2) n 1 C1n 2C n2 rC nr nC nn

(e) Integrate both sides w.r.t.x from 0 to 1

1

n
n
n
n 2
n r
n n
(1 x ) dx (C 0 C1 x C 2 x C r x C n x )dx

(1 x ) n 1
n 1

C 0n x
0

1
0

C1n x 2
2

C n2 x 3
3

C nr x r 1
r 1

C nn x n 1
n 1

Cn
Cn
Cn
2 n 1 1
C 0n 1 r n
n 1
2
r 1
n 1

(f)

Consider (1 x ) m n (1 x ) m (1 x ) n , where m, n are positive integers.

C 0m n C1m n x C m2 n x 2 C mr n x r C mm nn x m n

(C 0m C1m x C m2 x 2 C mr x r C mm x m )(C 0n C1n x C n2 x 2 C nr x r C nn x n )

Compared coefficient of x r
n
Cm
r

Example 11

(Equating coefficient of x r )

Consider the binomial expansion (1 + x)2n . Prove that

(a)

C02n C12n C22n C22nn = 22n

(b) C0 C1 C2 C2n = 0
2n

(c)

2n

2n

2n

C02n C22n C 42n C22nn C12n C32n C52n C22nn1 = 2n 1

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Advanced Level Pure Mathematics

Example 12

Prove that
(a)

C1n 2C2n 3C3n 4C 4n nCnn = n2n 1

(b) C1n 2C 2n 3C3n 4C 4n ( 1) n 1 nCnn = 0

(c)

1 n 1 n 1 n
1
2 n 1 1
n
C C1 C 2 C3
Cn
2
3
4
n 1
n 1
n
0

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Binomial Theorem
Advanced Level Pure Mathematics

Example 13

Prove that
(a) 1 2 C 2n 2 3 C3n 3 4 C 4n (n 1) nCnn = n(n 1)2n 2
(b) C0n 2C1n 3C 2n 4C3n (n 1)Cnn = (n + 2)2n 1

Example 14

Prove that if n is even ,

1
1
1
1
22n 1

(1)!( 2n)! ( 2)!( 2n 1)! ( 3)!( 2n 2)!

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

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Binomial Theorem
Advanced Level Pure Mathematics
2n
n

( C ) ( C ) ( C ) (Cnn ) 2 .
n
0

n
1

n
2

Example 15

Prove that C

Example 16

Let f ( r ) C 0n C nr C1n C nr 1 C nn r C nn

(a) Show that C nr C nn r for r 0,1,2, , n .

(b) By considering the expansion of (1 x ) 2 n , prove that
f (r )

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

n
n
n
(c) Show that C 0 f (0) C1 f (1) C n f (n )

Example 17

(3n )!
.
n!( 2n )!

(a) Show that

{1 + (n + 1) x}(1 + x)n 1 = C0 2C1 x 3C2 x ( n 1)C n x .
n

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Binomial Theorem
Advanced Level Pure Mathematics

(b) Hence show that

(C 0n ) 2 2( C1n ) 2 3(C 2n ) 2 ( n 1)(C nn ) 2

Example 18

Let

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

m and n be two positive integers with m n

n 1

(a) Show that

C
r 1

2 n 1
nr

2 2n

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Binomial Theorem
Advanced Level Pure Mathematics
n

1
(b) By considering the coefficient of x k in 1 x m 1 , show that

mk

C
r 0

m
k r

C rn C nmkn m n k m
[HKAL86]

Example 19

Let n be an integer and n > 1 . By considering the binomial expansion of (1 + x)n , or

otherwise ,
(a) show that C1n 2C2n 3C 3n nC nn = 2n 1 n;
(b) evaluate

1
2
3
( 1) n 1 n

.
(n 1)! 2 !(n 2)! 3!(n 3)!
n!
[HKAL95]

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Binomial Theorem
Advanced Level Pure Mathematics

Example 20

Let k and n be non-negative integers.

Prove that

(a)

Ckn

k 1 n 1
Ck 1 , where 0 k n ;
n1

n 1

(b)

( 1) k Ckn1 = 0 ;

k 0

(1) k n
1
(c)
.
Ck
n 1
k 0 k 1
n

5.6*

[HKAL90]

Binomial Series

Recall : For r < 1 ,

1
= 1 + r + r2 + r3 + r4 + ... and
1 r

1
= 1 r + r2 r3 + r4 ...
1 r

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Binomial Theorem
Advanced Level Pure Mathematics

For a real number x with | x | < 1 and a rational number n ,

n r
n
n( n 1)( n 2) ( n r 1)
x , where
r
r!
r 0 r

(1+x) =
n

n
i.e. (1 x ) 1 nx

n (n 1)(n 2) (n r 1) r
n (n 1) 2
x
x
2!
r!

I
Some examples of binomial series :
(1 x ) 1

1 x

(b) (1 x ) 1

1 x

(a)

(c)

(1 x ) 2

(d) (1 x ) 2

N.B..

n
n
for the binomial coefficient Cr .
r

Sometimes we use the symbol

Example 21

Given that C0 , C1 , C2 , ... , Cn denote the coefficients in the expansion of (1 + x)n .

(a) By considering the coefficient of xn in the expansion of (1 + x)2n ,
show that C02 + C12 + C22 + ... + Cn 2 =

(2n)!
(n !) 2

(b) By considering the coefficient of xn in the expansion of (1 x2)n , show that

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Binomial Theorem
Advanced Level Pure Mathematics

C C + C ... + (1) Cn = ( 1)
2
0

Example 22

2
1

2
2

Given two positive integers

n
2

if n is odd

n!
if n is even .
n
( )!( 2 )!
n
2

n and r let P x x r x 1 r x n r
r

t
(a) When P x is written in the form P x at x show that

t 0

r t

a r n 1 , at C 1
r
t

r t

r t

for t 0 , 1 , 2 , , r 1

t
(b) Let S 0 , n n 1 and S t , n m where t 1 , 2 , ,
m 1

r 1

r
Show that n 1 C t S t , n
r

t 0

Use (b) to find S 1 , n S 2 , n and S 3 , n .

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Binomial Theorem
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[HKAL 1987]

Example 23

(a) Let m and n be positive integers. Using the identity

(1 + x)n + (1 + x)n +1 + ... + (1 + x)n +m =
n 1

where x 0 , show that C n C n

n

(1 x ) n m 1 (1 x ) n
,
x

Cnn m Cnn1m 1 .

(b) Using (a) , or otherwise , show that

m 4

r (r 1)(r 2)(r 3) 24 C5m5 1

r 5

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Binomial Theorem
Advanced Level Pure Mathematics
k

Hence evaluate

r (r 1)(r 2)(r 3)

for k 4 .

r 0

[HKAL94]

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