HIGHER MATH

Bionomial Expansions

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 Binomial Expansion
If n is a positive integer, (a + x)n can be expanded as
(a + x)n = an + nC1 an–1 x + nC2 an–2 x2 + nC3 an–3 x3 + ... + xn.
In case of a binomial expansion, if any particular
term say ‘r’ is asked, then instead of applying the
whole expansion, the following direct formula can be
applied to find the ‘r’th term.
‘r’th term = an–r+1 xr–1[{n(n–1) (n – 2) ...(n – r + 2)}  (r – 1)!]
Similarly (x + a)n can be expanded as
(x + a)n = xn + nC1 xn–1a + nC1 xn–2 a2 + nC1 xn–3 a3 + ... + an
And if in this case if particular term say ‘r’ is asked,
then instead of applying the whole expansion, the
following direct formula can be applied to find the
‘r’th term
‘r’th term = xn–r+1ar – 1[{n(n – 1)(n – 2)...(n – r + 2)} (r –
1)!].
So order of the term to be expanded is very
important i.e., whether it is in the form (a + x)n or (x +
a)n , so we will solve accordingly.

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Middle term or terms:
n 
  1th
If n is even then there is only one middle term  2 

term.
 n  1
  th
If n is odd then there are two middle terms   2  and
 n  3
 th
 2  terms.

The greatest coefficient depending upon whether n is

even or odd.

If n is even, the greatest coefficient is ncn/2 and if n is

n
C n 1 or n C n 1
odd, the greatest coefficient is 2 2

1. Expand (3x – 2)10

(3x – 2)10 = 10
C0 (3x)10–0(–2)0 + 10
C1 (3x)10–1(–2)1
+ 10C2 (3x)10–2(–2)2 + 10
C3 (3x)10–3(–2)3
+ 10C4 (3x)10–4(–2)4 + 10
C5 (3x)10–5(–2)5
+ 10C6 (3x)10–6(–2)6 + 10
C7 (3x)10–7(–2)7
+ 10C8 (3x)10–8(–2)8 + 10
C9 (3x)10–9(–2)9
+ 10C10 (3x)10–10(–2)10

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2. Find the third term in the expansion of (2 + x)6
As expansion is of the form (a + x)n, so rth term
= an–r+1 xr–1 [{n(n–1) (n – 2) ... (n – r + 2)}  (r – 1)!].
Here r = 3 and n = 6.
So 3rd term of (2 + x)6 = 26 – 3 + 1 . x3 – 1 .  6  5 
 2 

=24 . x2 . 15 = 240 x2
3. Find the coefficient of x4 in the expansion of (3 +
x)8.
As expansion is of the form (a + x)n, so rth term
= an – r + 1 x r – 1 [{n (n – 1) (n – 2) ... (n – r + 2)}  (r –
1)!].
x4 will come in 5th term.
Hence we have to find the 5th term of the
expansion.
Here r = 5 and n = 8.
8  7  6  5 
So 5th term of (3 + x)8 =3 8 – 5 + 1. x5 – 1 .  
 5  1! 

= 34 . x4 . 70 = 81  70x4 = 5670 x4
Hence coefficient is x4 is 5670.

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4. Find the coefficient of x5 in the expansion of (x +
5)6.
As expansion is of the form (x + a)n, so rth term
= x n – r + 1 a r – 1 [{n(n–1) (n – 2) ... (n – r + 2)}  (r –
1)!].
So x5 will come when r = 2 and n = 6.
Hence we have to find the 2nd term of the
expansion.
So r = 2 and n = 6.
 
So 2nd term of (x + 5)6 = x6 – 2 + 1. 56 – 1. 
6

 2  1!

= x5 . 55 . 6 = 18750 x5
Hence coefficient of x5 is 18750.