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NCERT Exemplar · Q14

Q.Find nn in the binomial (23+133)n\left(\sqrt[3]{2} + \dfrac{1}{\sqrt[3]{3}}\right)^{n} if the ratio of 7th7^{\text{th}} term from the beginning to the 7th7^{\text{th}} term from the end is 16\dfrac{1}{6}.

Telangana TsbieLong· 3mImportance★★★★★est
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The symmetry property of binomial coefficients tells us that the 7th7^{\text{th}} term from the beginning and the 7th7^{\text{th}} term from the end have the same coefficient but different powers of the base terms. Setting up the ratio of these terms and using the given condition 16\frac{1}{6} leads to n=9n = \boxed{9}.

The key insight here rests on understanding how terms in a binomial expansion relate when counted from opposite ends. In (a+b)n(a + b)^n, the rthr^{\text{th}} term from the beginning is Tr=(nr−1)an−r+1br−1T_r = \binom{n}{r-1} a^{n-r+1} b^{r-1}, while the rthr^{\text{th}} term from the end is Tn−r+2=(nn−r+1)ar−1bn−r+1T_{n-r+2} = \binom{n}{n-r+1} a^{r-1} b^{n-r+1}. Notice that the binomial coefficients are equal by symmetry: (nr−1)=(nn−r+1)\binom{n}{r-1} = \binom{n}{n-r+1}. What changes is the distribution of powers between aa and bb.

Let me denote a=23=21/3a = \sqrt[3]{2} = 2^{1/3} and b=133=3−1/3b = \frac{1}{\sqrt[3]{3}} = 3^{-1/3} for clarity.

1. Write the 7th7^{\text{th}} term from the beginning

The general term in the expansion is:

Tk+1=(nk)an−kbkT_{k+1} = \binom{n}{k} a^{n-k} b^k

For the 7th7^{\text{th}} term, we have k=6k = 6:

T7=(n6)⋅(21/3)n−6⋅(3−1/3)6=(n6)⋅2(n−6)/3⋅3−2T_7 = \binom{n}{6} \cdot (2^{1/3})^{n-6} \cdot (3^{-1/3})^6 = \binom{n}{6} \cdot 2^{(n-6)/3} \cdot 3^{-2}

2. Write the 7th7^{\text{th}} term from the end

The 7th7^{\text{th}} term from the end is the (n−6+1)th=(n−5)th(n - 6 + 1)^{\text{th}} = (n-5)^{\text{th}} term from the beginning. This corresponds to k=n−6k = n - 6:

Tn−5=(nn−6)⋅(21/3)n−(n−6)⋅(3−1/3)n−6=(nn−6)⋅22⋅3−(n−6)/3T_{n-5} = \binom{n}{n-6} \cdot (2^{1/3})^{n-(n-6)} \cdot (3^{-1/3})^{n-6} = \binom{n}{n-6} \cdot 2^{2} \cdot 3^{-(n-6)/3}

Since (nn−6)=(n6)\binom{n}{n-6} = \binom{n}{6}, we have:

Tn−5=(n6)⋅4⋅3−(n−6)/3T_{n-5} = \binom{n}{6} \cdot 4 \cdot 3^{-(n-6)/3}

3. Set up the ratio

We're told that:

T7Tn−5=16\frac{T_7}{T_{n-5}} = \frac{1}{6}

Substituting our expressions:

(n6)⋅2(n−6)/3⋅3−2(n6)⋅4⋅3−(n−6)/3=16\frac{\binom{n}{6} \cdot 2^{(n-6)/3} \cdot 3^{-2}}{\binom{n}{6} \cdot 4 \cdot 3^{-(n-6)/3}} = \frac{1}{6}

The binomial coefficients cancel: …

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