Q.Compute
Concept understanding — Binomial Theorem
The Binomial Theorem: From Patterns to Power
Imagine you have to expand (x+y)2. You know it's x2+2xy+y2. What about (x+y)3? That's x3+3x2y+3xy2+y3. Now try (x+y)4 — you could multiply (x+y)3 by (x+y) again, but it gets messy fast.
The Binomial Theorem is the shortcut. It tells you exactly what (x+y)n expands to, for any positive integer n, without doing the multiplication step by step.
The Pattern You Already Know
Look at the expansions we have:
| Power | Expansion |
|---|---|
| (x+y)0 | 1 |
| (x+y)1 | x+y |
| (x+y)2 | x2+2xy+y2 |
| (x+y)3 | x3+3x2y+3xy2+y3 |
| (x+y)4 | x4+4x3y+6x2y2+4xy3+y4 |
Three things stand out:
- The powers of x decrease from n down to 0, while the powers of y increase from 0 up to n. In each term, the exponents add to n.
- The coefficients — 1, 2, 1 for n=2; 1, 3, 3, 1 for n=3; 1, 4, 6, 4, 1 for n=4 — follow a famous pattern called Pascal's triangle.
- The number of terms is always n+1.
Pascal's triangle: each number is the sum of the two numbers directly above it.
1
1 1
1 2 1
1 3 3 1
1 4 6 4 1
Why Do These Coefficients Appear?
Think about what (x+y)n really means. It's (x+y) multiplied by itself n times:
(x+y)n=n factors(x+y)(x+y)⋯(x+y)
When you expand, you pick either x or y from each factor. A term like xn−kyk comes from choosing y from exactly k of the n factors and x from the rest.
How many ways can you choose which k factors give you y? That's exactly the number of combinations: (kn) (read "n choose k").
(kn)=k!(n−k)!n!
So the coefficient of xn−kyk is (kn). That's the heart of the theorem.
The Precise Statement
Binomial Theorem: For any positive integer n,
(x+y)n=∑k=0n(kn)xn−kyk
Or written out:
(x+y)n=(0n)xn+(1n)xn−1y+(2n)xn−2y2+⋯+(n−1n)xyn−1+(nn)yn
Notice (0n)=1 and (nn)=1, which matches the first and last coefficients always being 1.
A Quick Example
Expand (2a−b)5 using the theorem.
Here x=2a, y=−b, and n=5.
(2a−b)5=∑k=05(k5)(2a)5−k(−b)k
Compute term by term:
- k=0: (05)(2a)5(−b)0=1⋅32a5=32a5
- k=1: (15)(2a)4(−b)1=5⋅16a4⋅(−b)=−80a4b
- k=2: (25)(2a)3(−b)2=10⋅8a3⋅b2=80a3b2
- k=3: (35)(2a)2(−b)3=10⋅4a2⋅(−b3)=−40a2b3
- k=4: (45)(2a)1(−b)4=5⋅2a⋅b4=10ab4
- k=5: (55)(2a)0(−b)5=1⋅1⋅(−b5)=−b5
So:
(2a−b)5=32a5−80a4b+80a3b2−40a2b3+10ab4−b5
A common mistake: forgetting the sign when y is negative. Here (−b)k alternates signs — even k gives positive, odd k gives negative.
Why This Matters
The Binomial Theorem isn't just for expanding brackets. It appears in probability (binomial distribution), calculus (binomial series for non-integer exponents), and even in estimating powers without a calculator. Once you see the pattern, you'll spot it everywhere.
The key takeaway: every term in (x+y)n is of the form (kn)xn−kyk. The theorem gives you all n+1 terms in one clean formula.
The Binomial Theorem itself, along with Pascal's triangle and the general term formula, is one of the most heavily tested chapters in NCERT Class 11 Mathematics, and "binomial theorem class 11 formula, definition and examples" is a frequently searched revision query for CBSE boards and JEE Main. Because the theorem also underlies probability and approximation problems, it consistently appears in "binomial theorem important questions" compiled for competitive-exam practice.
Write each number as (round number ± small correction)power and expand by the binomial theorem.
- 1024=108243216
- 994=96059601
- 97=4782969
Each part is a "round number ± small correction" binomial expansion — the same trick as Example 5.2's 984.
Step 1. (i) 1024=(100+2)4.
=4C0(100)4+4C1(100)3(2)+4C2(100)2(2)2+4C3(100)(2)3+4C4(2)4
=100000000+4(1000000)(2)+6(10000)(4)+4(100)(8)+16
=100000000+8000000+240000+3200+16=108243216.
Step 2. (ii) 994=(100−1)4.
=4C0(100)4−4C1(100)3+4C2(100)2−4C3(100)+4C4
=100000000−4000000+60000−400+1=96059601.
Step 3. (iii) 97=(10−1)7.
=∑r=077Cr(10)7−r(−1)r
=107−7(10)6+21(10)5−35(10)4+35(10)3−21(10)2+7(10)−1
=10000000−7000000+2100000−350000+35000−2100+70−1.
Step 4. Add these in order.
10000000−7000000=3000000; +2100000=5100000; −350000=4750000; +35000=4785000; −2100=4782900; +70=4782970; −1=4782969.
- 1024=108243216
- 994=96059601
- 97=4782969
- Miscounting the alternating signs in the (100−1)4 / (10−1)7 expansions
- Arithmetic slip while summing the seven terms of the 97 expansion
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Write True/False: In the expansion of (a+b)n, the sum of indices of a and b is always n.
›Reveal solutionSolution
By the binomial theorem, the general term of (a+b)n is (kn)an−kbk, and the exponents (n−k) and k always add to n.
The binomial expansion is (a+b)n=∑k=0n(kn)an−kbk.
In each term, the exponent of a is n−k and the exponent of b is k. Their sum is (n−k)+k=n, which is constant across every term.
✓Final answerTrue.
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Fill in the blank: The value of (a+b)0 is ____.
›Reveal solutionSolution
By the zero-exponent rule, any nonzero quantity raised to the power 0 equals 1.
For any real number k=0, k0=1. Here k=a+b (assuming a+b=0).
So (a+b)0=1.
✓Final answer(a+b)0=1.
- CBSE 2024Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Expand the expression (a+b)n.
›Reveal solutionSolution
The Binomial Theorem expands (a+b)n as ∑r=0nnCran−rbr.
For a positive integer n, the Binomial Theorem states:
(a+b)n=nC0an+nC1an−1b+nC2an−2b2+⋯+nCn−1abn−1+nCnbn=r=0∑nnCran−rbr
Each coefficient nCr=r!(n−r)!n! is a binomial coefficient, and the powers of a decrease from n to 0 while the powers of b increase from 0 to n across the (n+1) terms.
✓Final answer(a+b)n=nC0an+nC1an−1b+nC2an−2b2+⋯+nCnbn.
- CBSE 2024Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.In the expansion of (a+b)n, the sum of the indices of a and b in every term is:(a) 0(b) n−1(c) n+1(d) n
›Reveal solutionSolution
Every term of (a+b)n is nCran−rbr, and (n−r)+r=n always.
Step 1. By the Binomial theorem, (a+b)n=∑r=0nnCran−rbr.
Step 2. In the general term nCran−rbr, the index of a is n−r and the index of b is r.
Step 3. Their sum is (n−r)+r=n, a constant for every term.
✓Final answerThe correct option is (D) n.
- CBSE 2024Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Write true or false: The coefficients of the terms of a binomial expansion, arranged in an array, form Pascal's triangle.
›Reveal solutionSolution
Writing the coefficients nC0,nC1,…,nCn row by row for n=0,1,2,… produces Pascal's triangle.
Step 1. For each n, the coefficients of (a+b)n are nC0,nC1,…,nCn.
Step 2. Stacking these rows for n=0,1,2,… produces the triangular array known as Pascal's triangle, where each entry is the sum of the two entries above it.
✓Final answerTrue.
- CBSE 2023Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The number of terms in the expansion of (1+x)n is(a) n(b) n−1(c) n+1(d) 2n+1
›Reveal solutionSolution
Number of terms =n+1; option (c).
By the Binomial Theorem (NCERT Class 11), (1+x)n=∑r=0n(rn)xr, and r runs from 0 to n — that is n+1 terms.
✓Final answer(c) n+1.
- CBSE 2022Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.Fill in the blank with the correct option: nC0+nC1+nC2+…+nCn=____(a) n2(b) 2n(c) 0
›Reveal solutionSolution
The sum of all binomial coefficients of (a+b)n equals 2n.
Putting a=1,b=1 in the binomial expansion (a+b)n=∑r=0nnCran−rbr gives:
(1+1)n=nC0+nC1+nC2+…+nCn
2n=nC0+nC1+…+nCn
✓Final answernC0+nC1+nC2+…+nCn=2n.
- CBSE 2022Set ANNUAL1 markQ.State whether true or false: in the expansion of (a+b)n, the sum of the exponents of a and b in each term is n.
›Reveal solutionSolution
The statement is True.
The general term of the binomial expansion of (a+b)n is Tr+1=nCran−rbr.
The exponent of a is (n−r) and the exponent of b is r; their sum is (n−r)+r=n, for every term.
✓Final answerTrue.
- CBSE 2020Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The value of nC0+nC1+nC2+⋯+nCn is -(a) 2n+1(b) 2n−1(c) 2n−1(d) 2n
›Reveal solutionSolution
Substituting x=1 into (1+x)n=nC0+nC1x+⋯+nCnxn gives 2n=nC0+nC1+⋯+nCn.
By the binomial theorem:
(1+x)n=nC0+nC1x+nC2x2+⋯+nCnxn
Putting x=1:
(1+1)n=nC0+nC1+nC2+⋯+nCn
2n=nC0+nC1+⋯+nCn
✓Final answerThe correct option is (d) 2n.
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