PrepRung

JEE Main 2024 · Mathematics · Binomial Theorem · medium

The number of rational terms in the expansion of (2^1/3+5^1/4)^200 is

Numerical answer

The number of rational terms in the expansion of (21/3+51/4)200\left(2^{1/3}+5^{1/4}\right)^{200} is
Show answer and solution

Answer: 17

The general term is Tr+1=(200r) 2(200−r)/3 5r/4T_{r+1}=\binom{200}{r}\,2^{(200-r)/3}\,5^{r/4} and the binomial coefficient is an integer. The term is rational exactly when both exponents are integers, that is when 4∣r4\mid r and 3∣(200−r)3\mid(200-r). Now 200≡2(mod3)200\equiv2\pmod3, so we need r≡2(mod3)r\equiv2\pmod3 and r≡0(mod4)r\equiv0\pmod4. By the Chinese remainder theorem r≡8(mod12)r\equiv8\pmod{12}. The admissible values are r=8,20,32,…,200r=8,20,32,\dots,200, an arithmetic progression with common difference 1212, and the last term 200=8+12⋅16200=8+12\cdot16. So there are 16+1=1716+1=17 rational terms.
Report a mistake

Original question written in the JEE Main 2024 pattern and checked twice for the correct answer. Not an official question paper. How we write and check questions · Corrections policy · Report a mistake