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Exercise 413Combinatorics › Binomial coefficientsHigh schoolAdded 3 Nov 2026

Sum over even $k$

#even k#sum#alternation

Statement

Show that ∑k even(nk)=2n−1\sum_{k\text{ even}}\binom{n}{k}=2^{n-1} for n≥1n\ge1.

Hint

Add the alternating sum and the total sum.

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Solution

Sum. ∑k(nk)=2n\sum_k\binom{n}{k}=2^n and ∑k(−1)k(nk)=0\sum_k(-1)^k\binom{n}{k}=0.

Compute even. Add: 2∑k even(nk)=2n2\sum_{k\text{ even}}\binom{n}{k}=2^n, so ∑k even(nk)=2n−1\sum_{k\text{ even}}\binom{n}{k}=2^{n-1}.

Conclusion. Half the subsets have even size.