Rather than expanding an entire binomial, most exam-style questions only need ONE specific term — the middle term, or the term containing a chosen power of x.
The general (or (r+1)th) term. In the expansion of (a+b)n,
Tr+1=nCran−rbr,r=0,1,2,…,n.
This single formula is the workhorse for every "find the coefficient of xk" or "find the constant term" problem: substitute the given a,b, simplify the power of x in Tr+1 as a function of r, set that power equal to the target exponent (or to 0, for a constant term), solve for r, and substitute back to get the actual term/coefficient.
Middle term(s).
- If n is even, there is a single middle term, the (2n+1)th term: T2n+1=nCn/2an/2bn/2.
- If n is odd, there are two middle terms, the (2n−1+1)th and (2n+1+1)th terms. Their binomial coefficients are nC(n−1)/2 and nC(n+1)/2 — and since (n−1)/2+(n+1)/2=n, these are complementary coefficients, hence always equal by nCr=nCn−r.
- The greatest coefficient in (a+b)n is nCn/2 if n is even, and the (equal) pair nC(n−1)/2,nC(n+1)/2 if n is odd.
Working technique for "coefficient of xk" problems. Write the general term, collect the power of x into one exponent expression in r, and solve. If a product of two binomial expansions is involved (e.g. (1+x3)50(x2+x1)5), take the general term of each factor separately, add the exponents, and sum the coefficient contributions over every valid pair of indices that hits the target power.
Ratio-of-terms problems. When told binomial coefficients of consecutive terms are in a given ratio (e.g. 1:7:42) or in AP, use nCr−1nCr=rn−r+1 to convert each ratio condition into a linear equation in n and r, then solve the resulting system.