BINOMIAL THEOREM

INTRODUCTION
In previous classes, you have learnt the squares and cubes of binomial expressions like a + b, a – b and used
2 3 2 2 3
these to find the values of numbers like (103) , (998) by expressing these as (103) = (100 + 3) , (998) =
3 7 9
(1000 – 2) etc. However, for higher powers like (103) , (998) , the calculations become difficult by repeated
multiplication. This problem of evaluation of such numbers was overcome by using a result called Binomial
n
theorem. The general form of the binomial expression is a + b and the expansion of (a + b) , n ∈ N, is
called the binomial theorem for positive integral index. The binomial theorem enables us to expand any
power of a binomial expression. It was first given by Sir Isaac Newton.

Development of Binomial Theorem

We know that
0
(a + b) =1 (Assume a + b ≠ 0)
1
(a + b) =a+b
2 2 2
(a + b) = a + 2ab + b
3 3 2 2 3
(a + b) = a + 3a b + 3ab + b
4 4 3 2 2 3 4
(a + b) = a + 4a b + 6a b + 4ab + b etc.
From the above expansions, we observe that :
(i) The total number of terms in each expansion is one more than the index. For example, in the
3 3
expansion of (a + b) , the number of terms is 4 whereas the index of (a + b) is 3.
(ii) The powers (indices) of the first quantity ‘a’ goes on decreasing by 1 whereas the powers of the
second quantity ‘b’ goes on increasing by 1, in successive terms.
(iii) In each of the expansion, the sum of indices of a and b is the same and is equal to the index of (a +
3
b). For example, in each term of the expansion of (a + b) , the sum of indices of a and b is 3.

The coefficients of the terms in the above expansions can be written in the form of a table as :

INDEX OF COEFFICIENTS OF VARIOUS TERMS

BINOMIAL
0 1
1 1 1
2 1 2 1
3 1 3 3 1
4 1 4 6 4 1
 We observe that the coefficients form a certain pattern.
We notice that :
(i) each row starts with 1 and ends with 1.
(ii) leaving first two rows i.e. from third row onwards, each coefficient (except the first and
the last) in a row is the sum of two coefficients in the preceding row, one just before it and
the other just after it.
The above pattern (arrangement of numbers) is known as Pascal’s Triangle.
In this pattern, the numbers involved in addition and the results can be indicated as shown in the table
below. The table can be extended by writing a few more rows :

INDEX OF COEFFICIENTS OF VARIOUS TERMS

BINOMIAL
0 1
1 1 1

2 1 2 1

3 1 3 3 1

4 1 4 6 4 1

5 1 5 10 10 5 1

6 1 6 15 20 15 6 1

… …………………………………
… …………………………………

The above table can be continued till any index we like. Expansions for the higher powers of Binomial
6
can be written by using Pascal’s triangle. For example, let us expand (a + b) by using Pascal’s triangle. The
row for index 6 is
1 6 15 20 15 6 1
Using this row for coefficients and the observations (i), (ii) and (iii), we get
6 6 5 4 2 3 3 2 4 5 6
(a + b) = a + 6a b + 15a b + 20a b + 15a b + 6ab + b .
n n
By making use of the concept of combinations i.e. Cr = , 0 ≤ r ≤ n, n a non-negative
n−r r
n n 1
integer, also Cn = 1 = C0, the binomial expansions can be written as (a + b)
=a+b
1 1 1 1
= C0 a + C1 b
2 2 2
(a + b) = a + 2 ab + b
2 2 2 2–1 1 2 2
= C0 a + C1 a b + C2 b
3 3 2 2 3
(a + b) = a + 3 a b + 3 ab + b
3 3 3 3–1 1 3 3–2 2 3 3
= C0 a + C1 a b + C2 a b + C3 b etc.
By looking at the above expansions, we can easily guess the general formula for the expansion of (a +
n
b) , n ∈ N.

1. BINOMIAL THEOREM FOR POSITIVE INTEGRAL INDEX

If n is a natural number, a and b are any numbers, then
n n n n n–1 n n–2 2 n n–1 n n
(a + b) = C0 a + C1 a b + C2 a b + … + Cn–1 ab + Cnb .
 Proof. We shall prove the theorem by using the principle of mathematical induction.
Let P (n) be the statement :
n n n n n–1 n n–2 2 n n–1 n n
(a + b) = C0 a + C1 a b + C2 a b + … + Cn – 1ab + Cn b .
Here P (1) means
(a + b)1 = 1
C a1 + 1C b1
0 1
i.e. a + b = 1 × a + 1 × b, which is true
⇒ P (1) is true.
Let P (m) be true
m m m m
i.e. (a + b) = mC am + mC am – 1b + mC am –2b2 +…+ C abm – 1 + C b …(i)
0 1 2 m–1 m
For P (m + 1) :
m+1 m
(a + b) = (a + b) (a + b)
m m m m–1 m m–2 2 m m–1 m m
= ( C0 a + C1a b + C2 a b + … + Cm–1ab + Cmb ) (a + b) (using (i))
m m+1 m m m m–1 2 m 2 m–1 m m
= C0 a + C1a b + C2a b + … + Cm–1a b + Cmab
m m m m–1 2 m m–2 3 m m m m+1
+ C0a b + C1 a b + C2a b + … + Cm–1ab + Cm b )
(by actual multiplication)
m m+1 m m m m m m–1 2
= C0a + ( C1 + C0) a b + ( C2 + C1) a b +…
m m m m m+1
+ ( Cm + Cm–1) ab + Cmb (grouping like terms)
= m+1C0 am+1 + m+1C1 amb + m+1C2 am–1 b2 + … + m+1Cm abm + m+1Cm+1 bm+1
m m+1 m m+1
(Because we know that C0 = 1 = C0, Cm = 1 = Cm+1
m m+1
and mC + C = C , r = 1, 2, 3, …, m
r r–1 r
m m m+1 m m m+1 m m m+1
⇒ C1 + C0 = C1, C2 + C1 = C2, … , Cm + Cm–1 = Cm )
⇒ P (m + 1) is true.
Hence, by principle of mathematical induction, P (n) is true for all n ∈ N.
n
n n–r r
The notation ∑ Cr a b stands for
r 0
n 0 n n–2 2 n n–r r n
nC a b + C an–1b + nC a b +…+ Ca b + … + C an–n bn
0 1 2 r n
0 n–n 0
(Note that b = 1 and a = a = 1)
Hence, the binomial theorem can be written as
n
(a + b)n = ∑ nCr an–r br.
r 0

1.1 Some important observations

n
1. The total number of terms in the expansion of (a + b) is (n + 1) i.e. one more than the index n.
n
2. The sum of indices of a and b in each term is n. In the first term of the expansion of (a + b) , the
index of a starts with n, goes on decreasing by 1 in every successive term and ends with 0, whereas
the index of b starts with zero, goes on increasing by 1 in every successive term and ends with n.

n n n n
3. The coefficients C0, C1, C2 , …, Cn are called binomial coefficients.
n n
4. Since Cr = Cn–r , r = 0, 1, 2, …, n
n n n n n n
⇒ C0 = Cn, C1 = Cn–1, C2 = Cn–2 , …
Therefore, the coefficients of terms equidistant from the beginning and end are equal.
1.2 Some special cases
n
1. Replacing ‘b’ by ‘– b’ in the binomial expansion of (a + b) , we get
n n n n–1 n n–2 2
(a – b) = nC a + C a (– b) + C a (– b) + …
0 1 2
n n–r r n n
+ C a (– b) + … + C (– b)
r n
n n n n–1 n n–2 2
= C1 a – C1 a b + C2 a b +…
r n n–r r n n n
+ (– 1) Cr a b + … + (– 1) Cn b
n
= ∑ (– 1)r nCr an–r br
r 0

n
Thus, the terms in the expansion of (a – b) are alternatively positive and negative. The last term is
positive or negative according as n is even or odd.
n
2. Putting a = 1 and b = x in the binomial expansion of (a + b) , we get
n n n n n–1 n n n–r r n n
(1 + x) = C 1 + C 1 x+ C 1n–2 x2 + … + C 1 x +…+ C x
0 1 2 r n
n n n r n n
= nC + Cx+ C x2 + … + Cx + … + C x
0 1 2 r n
n
n r
= ∑ Cr x .
r 0
n
3. Putting a = 1 and b = – x in the binomial expansion of (a + b) , we get
n n n rn r n n n
(1 – x) = nC – C x + C x2 + … + (– 1) C x + … + (– 1) C x
0 1 2 r n
n
= ∑ (– 1)r nCr xr.
r 0
n
4. In the expansion of (1 + x) , n ∈ N
n n n n n n
(i) C + C + C + … + C + … + C = 2 .
0 1 2 r n
n n n n n n
(ii) C – C + C – C + … + (– 1) C = 0.
0 1 2 3 n
n n n n n n n–1
(iii) C + C + C +…= C + C + C +…=2 .
0 2 4 1 3 5
Proof. We know that
n n n n 2 n r n n
(1 + x) = C + C x + C x +…+ Cx +…+ C x …(1)
0 1 2 r n
(i) On putting x = 1 in (1), we get
n n n n 2 n r n n
(1 + 1) = C + C . 1 + C .1 +…+ C.1 +…+ C .1
0 1 2 r n
n n n n n n
⇒ C0 + C1 + C2 + … + Cr + … + Cn = 2 .
n n
Thus, the sum of the binomial coefficients in the expansion of (1 + x) , n ∈ N, is 2 .
(ii) On putting x = – 1 in (1), we get
n n n n 2 n 3 n n
(1 – 1) = C0 + C1 (– 1) + C2 (– 1) + C3 (– 1) + … + Cn (– 1)
n n n n nn
⇒ C0 – C1 + C2 – C3 + … + (– 1) Cn = 0.
(iii) From part (ii), we get
n n n n n n
C0 + C2 + C4 + … = C1 + C3 + C5 + … .
1
∴ The sum of each = (sum of the coefficients of all terms)
2
1 n
=2 .2 (using part (i))
= 2n–1
n n n n n n n–1
⇒ C0 + C2 + C4 + … = C1 + C3 + C5 + … = 2 .
n
Thus, the sum of the coefficients of odd terms in the expansion of (1 + x) , n ∈ N, is equal to the
n–1
sum of the coefficients of even terms and each is equal to 2 .
REMARKS
1. If n is a positive odd integer, then
n n n n n 1
(a + b) + (a – b) and (a + b) – (a – b) both have same number of terms equal to 2 .
2. If n is a positive even integer, then
n n
n
(i) (a + b) + (a – b) has  1 terms and

2
n n n
(ii) (a + b) – (a – b) has 2 terms.