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Polynomial and Synthetic Division
Polynomial and Synthetic Division
Division
What you should learn
• How to use long division to divide
polynomials by other polynomials
• How to use synthetic division to divide
polynomials by binomials of the form
(x – k)
• How to use the Remainder Theorem and the
Factor Theorem
1. x goes into x3? x2 times.
x 2x 6
2 2. Multiply (x-1) by x2.
3 2 3. Change sign, Add.
x 1 x x 4x 6 4. Bring down 4x.
33 22
xx xx 5. x goes into 2x2? 2x times.
0
Long Division.
x 5
2
x 3 x 8 x 15
2
Check x 3x
( x 3)( x 5) 5 x 15
2
x 5 x 3 x 15 5 x
15
2
x 8 x 15 0
x 3x 9
2
Divide. 3 2
x 3 x 0 x 0 x 27
3 2
3
x 27 x 3x
2
x3 3x 0 x
2
3 x 9x
3
9 x 27
x 3 x 27 9 x 27
0
Long Division.
x 2
2
x 4 x 2x 8
2
Check x 4x
( x 2)( x 4) 2x 8
2
x 4x 2x 8 22xx 88
2
x 2x 8 0
Example
2
p 2 p 20 44
= p 4
p6 2
p 6
p 6 p 2 p 20
22
Check pp 66pp
44
( p 6)( p 4) ( p 6) 4 p 20
p6
4 p
24
2
p 4 p 6 p 24 44 44
2
p 2 p 20
p 2 p 20 p 4 44
2
p6 p6
f ( x) r ( x)
q( x)
d ( x) d ( x)
44
p 2 p 20 p 4 p 6
2
( p 6)
p6
p 2 p 20 p 4 p 6 44
2
f ( x) d ( x)q( x) r ( x)
The Division Algorithm
If f(x) and d(x) are polynomials such that d(x) ≠ 0,
and the degree of d(x) is less than or equal to the
degree of f(x), there exists a unique polynomials
q(x) and r(x) such that
f ( x) d ( x)q( x) r ( x)
Where r(x) = 0 or the degree of r(x) is less than
the degree of d(x).
Proper and Improper
f ( x) r ( x)
q( x)
d ( x) d ( x)
• Since the degree of f(x) is more than or equal
to d(x), the rational expression f(x)/d(x) is
improper.
• Since the degree of r(x) is less than than d(x),
the rational expression r(x)/d(x) is proper.
Synthetic Division
Divide x4 – + 0x3 -10x2 – 2x + 4 by x + 3
-3 1 0 -10 -2 4
-3 +9 3 -3
1 -3 -1 1 1
4 2
x 10 x 2 x 4 3 2 1
x 3x x 1
x3 x3
Long Division.
1 -2 -8 x 1
3 2
x 3 x 2x 8
3 3 2
x 3x
1 1 -5
x 8
x3
2
f ( x) x 2 x 8 5
2
f (3) (3) 2(3) 8
968
5
The Remainder Theorem
If a polynomial f(x) is divided by x – k, the
remainder is r = f(k). x
1
2
2
f ( x) x 2 x 8 x 3 x 2x 8
2
2
f (3) (3) 2(3) 8 x 3x
968 x 8
5 x3
5
The Factor Theorem
A polynomial f(x) has a factor (x – k) if and only
if f(k) = 0.
Show that (x – 2) and (x + 3) are factors of
f(x) = 2x4 + 7x3 – 4x2 – 27x – 18
+2 2 7 -4 -27 -18
4 22 36 18
2 11 18 9 0
Show that (x – 2) and (x + 3) are factors of
f(x) = 2x4 + 7x3 – 4x2 – 27x – 18
+2 2 7 -4 -27 -18
4 22 36 18
-3 2 11 18 9
-6 -15 -9
2 5 3 0 2 x 4 7 x 3 4 x 2 27 x 18
(2 x 3 11x 2 18 x 9)( x 2)
(2 x 2 5 x 3)( x 2)( x 3)
Example 6 continued
(2 x 3)( x 1)( x 2)( x 3)
Uses of the Remainder in Synthetic
Division
The remainder r, obtained in synthetic division
of f(x) by (x – k), provides the following
information.
1. r = f(k)
2. If r = 0 then (x – k) is a factor of f(x).
3. If r = 0 then (k, 0) is an x intercept of the
graph of f.
Fun with SYN and the TI-83
2
f ( x) x 8 x 15 f (3)