1

Binomial Theorem

1.

The terms which are free from radical signs in the

55
are
expansion of y1/ 5 + x1/10

(a) 5 in number
(b) 6 in number
(c) 7 in number
(c) none of these
Ans.
(b)
Sol. The general term in the expansion of ( y1/ 5 + x1/10 )55 is
given by
Tr + 1 = 55C r ( y1/ 5 )55 - r (x1/10 ) = 55C r y11 - r / 5 x r /10
r
Clearly, Tr + 1 will be independent of radical signs if
5
r
are integers, where 0 r 55 .
and
10
\
r = 0 , 10 , 20 , 30 , 40 , 50
Hence, there are 6 terms in the expansion of the given
expression which are independent of radicals.
2. In the expansion of (2 - x + 3x 2 )6
(a) coefficient of x 5 is 5052
(b) coefficient of x 5 is 5052
(c) only six terms contain x 5
(d) only four terms containing x 5
Ans.
(a)
Sol. The general term in the expansion of (2 - x + 3x 2 )6 is
given by
6!
2r (- x )s (3x 2 )t , where r + s + t = 6.
r! s! t!
6!
=
2r (- 1)s 3t x s + 2 t , where r + s + t = 6
r! s! t!
For the coefficient of x 5 , we must have s + 2 t = 5
But, r + s + t = 6
\ s = 5 - 2 t and r = 1 + t , where 0 r, s, t 6
Now,

t = 0 r = 1, s = 5
t = 1 r = 2, s = 3
t - 2 r = 3, s = 1

Thus, there are three terms containing x 5 and hence

Coefficient of x 5
6!
=
21 (- 1)5 3
1! 5 ! 0 !
6!
6!
+
22 (- 1)3 31 +
23 (- 1)1 32
2 ! 3 ! 1!
3 ! 1! 2 !
3.

= -12 - 720 - 4320 = - 5052 .

If the sum of the coefficients in the expansion of
(1 + 2x )n is 6561, the greatest term in the expansion for
1
x = is
2
(a) 4th

(b) 5th
(c) 6th
(d) none of these
Ans.
(b)
Sol. Sum of the coefficients in the expansion of (1 + 2x )n is
6561
\
(1 + 2x )n = 6561, when x = 1

3n = 6561 3n = 38 n = 8
8
Tr + 1
C (2x )r
9-r
Now,
= 8 r
=
2x
Tr
C r - 1 (2x )r - 1
r
Tr + 1 9 - r

[Q x = 1 / 2 ]
=
Tr
r
Tr + 1
9-r
\
>1
>1 9-r > r
Tr
r
1

2r < 9 r < 4
2
Hence, 5th term is the greatest term.
4. The coefficient of the term independent of x in the
1
3
expansion of (1 + x + 2x 3 ) x 2 - is :
3x
2
1
19
(a)
(b)
3
54
17
1
(d)
(c)
54
4
Ans.
(c)
Sol. We have,
9
1
3
(1 + x + 2x 3 ) x 2 -
3x
2
r
9- r
9
3 1
= (1 + x + 2x 3 ) 9 C r x 2 -
r = 0
2 3x
9- r
r
9

3 1
= (1 + x + 2x 3 ) 9 C r - x18 - 3 r
=
0
r
2 3

9- r
r
9

3 1
= 9 C r - x18 - 3 r
r = 0

2 3
9- r
r
9

3 1
+ 9 C r - x19 - 3 r
=
0
r
2 3

9- r
9

3 1
+ 2 9 C r - x 21 - 3 r
r = 0

2 3
Clearly, first and third expansion contain term
independent of x and are obtained by equation 18 - 3r = 0
and 21 - 3r = 0 respectively.
So, coefficient of the term independent of x
9 7
7
9- 6
6

3 1
3 1
= 9C 6 - + 2 9 C 7 -

2 3
2 3