Past Paper 1 Counting Principle & Binomial Expansion IBHL

1. The constant terms in the expansion of

8 4
 3 q   2 q 
 px  3  and  px  2 
 x   x 
are equal, and p and q are both greater than zero. Express p in terms of q. [May ‘95]

9
 3 
2. Find the term that is independent of x in the expansion of  2 x  2  . [Nov ‘95]
 x 

3. An advanced mathematics class consists of 6 girls and 4 boys.

(a) How many different committees of 5 students can be chosen from this class?
(b) How many such committees can be chosen if class members Jack and Jill cannot both be on the
committee?
(c) How many such committees can be chosen if there must be more girls than boys on the committee?
[Nov ‘95]

9
1 1  1
4. Determine the coefficients of and 2 in the expansion of x   . [May ‘96]
x x  x

5. Use all the letters of CALCUTTA,

(a) how many difference arrangements of letters can be found?
(b) how many difference arrangements begin and end with the letter C? [May ‘96]

6. How many difference arrangements, each consisting of 5 different digits, can be formed from the digits 1, 2,
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, if
(a) each arrangement begins and ends with an even digit?
(b) in each arrangement odd and even digits alternate? [Nov ‘96]

7. Consider the letters of the word MATHEMATICS.

(a) How many different arrangements of all eleven letters can be found?
(b) How many different arrangements begin and end with the letter A? [Nov ‘97]

8. Find the posistive integer value of n such that the coefficient of x 2 in the binomial expansions of 1  x  2 n
 n

and 1  15 x 2 are equal. [Nov ‘97]

9. Find the non-zero value of k if the coefficients of x 3 and x 4 in the expansion of (1  kx) 5 are equal.
[Nov ‘98]

10. Given that

Pondok Indah Plaza I Blok UA No.41 Jakarta
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Past Paper 1 Counting Principle & Binomial Expansion IBHL

(1  x ) 5 (1  ax) 6  1  bx  10 x 2  .......  a 6 x 11 ,

find the values of a, b  �. [May ‘99]

11. Find the coefficient of x 7 in the expansion of ( 2  3 x)10 , giving your answer as a whole number.
[May ‘00]

12. Mr Blue, Mr Black, Mr Green, Mrs White, Mrs Yellow and Mrs Red sit around a circular table for a meeting.
Mr Blcak and Mrs White must not sit together.
Calculate the number of different ways these six people can sit at the table without Mr Black and Mrs White
sitting together. [May ‘00]

7
 1  7
13. The coefficient of x in the expansion of  x  2  is . Find the possible values of a.
 ax  3
[Nov ‘00]

14. In how many ways can six different coins be divided between two students so that each students receives at
least one coin? [Nov ‘00]

15. How many four-digit numbers are there which contain at least one digit 3? [Nov ‘01]

8
16. Find the coefficient of x 3 in the binomial expansion of 1  x  .
1
 2 
[Nov ‘02]

17. A committee of four children is chosen from eight children. The two oldest children cannot both be chosen.
Find the number of ways the committee may be chosen. [Nov ‘03]

18. (a) Find the expansion of ( 2  x ) 5 , giving your answer in ascending powers of x.
(b) By letting x = 0.01 or otherwise, find the exact value of 2.015 .
[Nov ‘04]

5
 2
19. Find the coefficient of x in the expansion of  3 x   . [May ‘05]
 x

20. There are 10 seats in a row in a waiting room. There are six people in the room.
(a) In how many different ways can they be seated?
(b) In the group of six people, there are three sisters who must sit next to each other.
In how many different ways can the group be seated? [May ‘06]

6
3x �
21. Find the coefficient of the x3 term in the expansion of �
�2  2 �. [Nov ‘07]
� �

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Past Paper 1 Counting Principle & Binomial Expansion IBHL

22. Twelve people travel in three cars, with four people in each car. Each car is driven by its owner. Find the
number of ways in which the remaining nine people may be allocated to the cars. (The arrangement of
people within a particular car is not relevant). [Nov ‘07]

4
� 2�
23. Expand and simplify �x 2  �.
� x�
[Nov ‘10]

4
� 2�
24. (a) Expand and simplify �x  �.
� x�
4
� 2�
(b) Hence determine the constant term in the expansion (2 x 2  1) �x  �.
� x�
[May ‘12]

4
�x y �
25. Expand and simplify �  �.
�y x �
[Nov ‘12]

Answers

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Phone : 7514251,0816930718
Past Paper 1 Counting Principle & Binomial Expansion IBHL

3
1. p=
q 35

2. 145,152
3. (a) 252 (b)
196
(c)
186
4. 126; 0
5. (a) 5040
(b)
180
6. (a) 360 ]
(b)
216
7. (a) 4,989,600
(b)
90720
8. 8
9. 2
10. a = 2 , b = 7
11. 2,099,520
12. 72
13. ±3
14. 62
15. 3168
16. 7
17. 55 ways
18. (a)
2 3 4 5
32  80 x  80 x  40 x  10 x  x
(b) 32.8080401001
19. 1080
20. (a) 151200
(b)
10080
21. 540
22. 1680
23.
8 5 2 32 16
x  8 x  24 x   4
x x
24. (a)
32 16
x 4  8 x 2  24  2

x x4
(b) 40
25.
x4 x2 y2 y4
4
4 2 64 2  4
y y x x

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