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Question

Prove that two +ive integers n, r cannot be found such that nCr,nCr+1,nCr+2andnCr+3 are in A.P.

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Solution

The first three being in A.P implies that
2nCr+1=nCr+nCr+2
The given terms are the coefficients of Tr+1,Tr+2,Tr+3,Tr+4 . The first being A.P implies 2Tr+2=Tr+1+Tr+3 or 2=Tr+1Tr+2+Tr+3Tr+2
or 2=1nCr+1/nCr+nCr+2nCr+1 ...(1)
Now nCr+1nCr=n!(nr1)!(r+1)!(nr)!r!n!=nrr+1 ...(2)
replacing r by r + 1, we have
nCr+2nCr+1=nr1r+2 .....(3)
Hence from (1) by the help of (2) and (3) , we have
2=r+1nr=nr1r+2
or (n - r )(2r + 4) = (r2 + 3r + 2) + (n - r)2 - (n - r)
or (n - r)2 - (n - r)(2r + 5) + (r + 1)(r + 2) = 0 .....(4)
Above is the condition for first three terms to be in A.P .Again replacing r by r + 1, we shall get the condition for the last three terms to be in A.P as
(n - - r - 1)2 - (n - r - 1)(2x + 7) + (r + 2)(r + 3) = 0
or (n - r)2 + 1 - 2(n - r) - (n - r)(2r + 7) + (2r + 7) + r2 + 5r + 6 = 0
or (n - r)2 - (n - r )(2r + 9) + (r2 + 7r + 13) = 0 ....(5)
comparing (4) and (5) , we have
2=2r+52r+9=r2+3r+2r2+7r+13
1st and 2nd give 9 = 5 and 1st and 3rd give -ive value for r. Both are not possible. Hence the given four terms cannot be in A.P.

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