Exercise 799Combinatorics › Binomial coefficientsL1Added 3 Nov 2026
Parity of binomial coefficients
#parity#binomial#Lucas
Statement
When is odd?
Hint
Use Lucas's theorem mod .
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Solution
Lucas mod 2. iff every binary digit of is the corresponding digit of .
Equivalent. The binary expansion of is a submask of that of .
Conclusion. is odd iff no bit of exceeds the corresponding bit of in binary (i.e. in bitwise AND).