Paper 2 (Pure Mathematics 2) AS Level

Polynomials

1. The cubic polynomial 3 x3  ax 2  2 x  8 is denoted by f(x).

(i) Given that ( x  2) is a factor of f(x), find the value of a.

(ii) When a has this value, factorise f(x) completely.

[May ‘02]

2. The cubic polynomial 2x 3  ax 2  b is denoted by f(x). It is given that ( x  1) is a factor of f(x), and that
when f(x) is divided by ( x  2) the remainder is 5 . Find the values of a and b.
[Nov ‘02]

3. The polynomial x 4  9 x 2  6 x  1 is denoted by f(x).

(i) Find the value of the constant a for which

f(x)  ( x 2  ax  1)( x 2  ax  1)

(ii) Hence solve the equation f(x) = 0, giving your answers in an exact form.
[May ‘03]

4. The polynomial x 4  6 x 2  x  a is denoted by f(x).

(i) It is given that ( x  1) is a factor of f(x). Find the value of a.

(ii) When a has this value, verify that ( x  2) is also a factor of f(x) and hence factorise f(x) completely.
[Nov ‘03]

5. The cubic polynomial 2 x 3  ax 2  13x  6 is denoted by f(x). It is given that ( x  3) is a factor of f(x).

(i) Find the value of a.

(ii) When a has this value, solve the equation f(x) = 0.
[May ‘04]

6. The cubic polynomial 2 x 3  5 x 2  ax  b is denoted by f(x). It is given that ( x  2) is a factor of f(x), and that
when f(x) is divided by ( x  1) the remainder is 6 . Find the values of a and b.
[Nov ‘04]

7. The polynomial x3  x 2  ax  b is denoted by p(x). It is given that ( x  1) is a factor of p(x) and that when
p(x) is divided by ( x  2) the remainder is 12.

(i) Find the values of a and b.

(ii) When a and b have these values, factorise p(x).
[May ‘05]

8. The polynomial x3  2 x 2  2 x  3 is denoted by p(x).

Paper 2 (Pure Mathematics 2) AS Level
Polynomials

(i) Find the remainder when p(x) is divided by ( x  1) .

(ii) Find the quotient and remainder when p(x) is divided by x 2  x  1 .

[Nov ‘05]

9. The cubic polynomial ax3  bx 2  3x  2 , where a and b are constants, is denoted by p(x). It is given that
( x  1) and ( x  2) are factors of p(x).

(i) Find the values of a and b.

(ii) When a and b have these values, find the other linear factor of p(x).
[May ‘06]

10. The polynomial 4 x 3  7 x  a , where a is a constant, is denoted by p(x). It is given that (2 x  3) is a factor of
p(x).
(i) Show that a = 3 .
(ii) Hence, or otherwise, solve the equation p(x) = 0.
[Nov ‘06]

11. The polynomial 2 x 3  3x 2  ax  b , where a and b are constants, is denoted by p(x). It is given that ( x  2) is
a factor of p(x), and that when p(x) is divided by ( x  2) the remainder is 20

(i) Find the values of a and b.

(ii) When a and b have these values, find the remainder when p(x) is divided by ( x 2  4) .
[May ‘07]

12. The polynomial 3 x3  8 x 2  ax  2 , where a is a constant, is denoted by p(x). It is given tthat ( x  2) is a

factor of p(x).
(i) Find the value of a.
(ii) When a has this value, solve the equation p(x) = 0.
[Nov ‘07]

13. The polynomial 2 x 3  7 x 2  ax  b , where a and b are constants, is denoted by p(x). It is given that ( x  1) is
a factor of p(x), and that when p(x) is divided by ( x  2) the remainder is 5. Find the values of a and b.
[May ‘08]

14. The polynomial 2 x 3  x 2  ax  6 , where a is a constant, is denoted by p(x). It is given that ( x  2) is a

factor of p(x).
(i) Find the value of a.
(ii) When a has this value, factorise p(x) completely.
[Nov ‘08]
15. The polynomial x  ax  bx  6 , where a and b are constants, is denoted by p(x). It is given that ( x  2) is a
3 2

factor of p(x), and that when p(x) is divided by ( x  1) the remainder is 4.

(i) Find the values of a and b.

Paper 2 (Pure Mathematics 2) AS Level
Polynomials

(ii) When a and b have these values, find the other two linear factors of p(x).
[May ‘09]

16. The polynomial 4 x 3  8 x 2  ax  3 , where a is a constant, is denoted by p(x). It is given that (2 x  1) is a

factor of p(x).
(i) Find the value of a.
(ii) When a has this value, factorise p(x) completely.
[Nov ‘09]

17. The polynomial ax3  bx 2  5 x  2 , where a and b are constants, is denoted by p(x). It is given that ( x  1)
and ( x  2) are factors of p(x).

(i) Find the values of a and b.

(ii) When a and b have these values, find the other linear factor of p(x).
[Nov ‘09]

18. The polynomial x3  3 x 2  4 x  2 is denoted by f(x).

(i) Find the quotient and remainder when f(x) is divided by x 2  x  1

(ii) Use the factor theorem to show that ( x  1) is a factor of f(x).

[May ‘10]

19. The polynomial 2 x 3  ax 2  bx  6 , where a and b are constants, is denoted by p(x). It is given that when p(x)
is divided by ( x  3) the remainder is 30, and that when p(x) is divided by ( x  1) the remainder is 18.

(i) Find the values of a and b.

(ii) When a and b have these values, verify that ( x  2) is a factor of p(x) and hence factorise p(x)
completely.
[May ‘10]

20. The polynomial 3x3  2 x 2  ax  b , where a and b are constants, is denoted by p(x). It is given that ( x  1) is
a factor of p(x), and that when p(x) is divided by ( x  2) the remainder is 10.

(i) Find the values of a and b.

(ii) When a and b have these values, solve the equation p(x) = 0.
[Nov ‘10]

21. The polynomial x3  4 x 2  ax  2 , where a is a constant, is denoted by p(x). It is given that the remainder
when p(x) is divided by ( x  1) is equal to the remainder when p(x) is divided by ( x  2) .

(i) Find the value of a.

(ii) When a has this value, show that ( x  1) is a factor of p(x) and find the quotient when p(x) is divided by
( x  1) .
Paper 2 (Pure Mathematics 2) AS Level
Polynomials

[Nov ‘10]

Answers
Paper 2 (Pure Mathematics 2) AS-Level
Polynomials

1. (i) 7 (ii) 10. (i) (sw) (ii) 1,  12

( x  2)( x  1)(3 x  4)
a  3, b  1 11. (i) a  3, b  2 (ii) 5 x  10
2.
1 12. (i) 3 (ii) 1, 13
3. (i) 3 (ii) 2
( 3  5) ,
13. a  2, b  3
1
(3  13)
2 14. (i)  13 (ii) ( x  2)(2 x  1)( x  3)
4. (i) 6 (ii) (sw); 15. (i) a  4, b  1 (ii) ( x  3), ( x  1)
( x  1)( x  2)( x 2  x  3)
16. (i)  11 (ii) (2 x  1) 2 ( x  3)
5. (i) 1 (ii)  2,  12
17. (i) a  3, b   4 (ii) 3 x  1
6. a  1, b  2 18. (i) q : x  2 , r : 3 x  4 (ii) (sw)
7. (i) a  2, b  4 (ii) ( x  1)( x 2  2 x  4) 19. (i) a  1, b  13 (ii) (sw); ( x  2)(2 x  1)( x  3)
8. (i) 8 (ii) q : x  1 , r : 2 x  4 4
20. (i) a  17, b  12 (ii)  3,
9. (i) a  2, b  3 (ii) 2 x  1 3
21. (i)  7 (ii) (sw); x 2  5 x  2