Factor and Remainder Theorem & The

fundamental Theorem of Algebra

Polynomials
Multiplying Polynomials

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Equal Polynomials

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Dividing Polynomials
You’re used to dividing whole numbers to find a remainder…

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quotient
?
dividend ?
remainder

7 1
=2 +
?
divisor 3 3
It’s actually possible to do it when dividing polynomials too…
Remainder
Quotient
2
𝑥 1
=( 𝑥+1)+
Bro Definition: Recall that a
polynomial is just an

𝑥 −1 𝑥 −1 expression of the form

. Quadratics and cubics are
examples of polynomials.
Remainder and Factor Theorem
We’re trying to work out the remainder when we divide a
polynomial by
Remainder !
Quotient

Multiplying both sides by :

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Therefore: i.e. We get the remainder
? when dividing by by just
subbing into the original
function.
What if ?
The remainder is 0, thus must be a factor of
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Root of a Polynomial

Also, if

Then is a root of

Related concepts:
The remainder is 0, thus must be a factor of

If f(x)= is divided by

(x+1) is a factor of f(x)

And

x=-1 is a root of f(x), because is a solutions of f(x)=0

Remainder and Factor Theorem

! Remainder Theorem
For a polynomial , the remainder when is
divided by is .

! Factor Theorem
If , then by above, the remainder is 0. Thus
is a factor of .

What is the remainder when is divided by ?

(Since no remainder, must be a?factor of )

What is the remainder when is divided by ?

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Examples

Remainder when is divided by ?

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Remainder when is divided by ?
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Remainder when is divided by ?
Bro Hint:
? ?
Remainder when is divided by
What value of
makes the
thing we’re
dividing by 0?

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Test Your Understanding So Far…

1 Find the remainder when is divided by .

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2 Find the remainder when is divided by
?
3 Find the remainder when is divided by .

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Further Examples

Show that is a factor of

𝒇 (𝟐 )=𝟖+ 𝟒?−𝟖 −𝟒=𝟎

Set 2 Paper 1 Q14

𝒇 (𝟓 )=𝟓 −𝟔 (𝟓 )+ 𝟓𝒂−𝟐𝟎=𝟎
𝟑 𝟐?
Test Your Understanding
Jan 2012 Paper 2 Q16a

𝟑
𝒇 (𝟏 )=𝟏 −𝟐𝟏+𝟐𝟎=𝟎
?

Jan 2013 Paper 2 Q22

𝒇 (𝟐 )=𝟖+𝟒𝒂+𝟐𝒃+𝟐𝟒=𝟎→𝟐𝒂+𝒃=−𝟏𝟔
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Test Your Understanding

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Exercise 1
1 Find the remainder when the polynomials are 5 and are factors of . Determine the
divided by the linear function, and write values of and .
“factor” if a factor.
a ? ?
b ? and are factors of . Determine and .
c ? 6
d ?
e ? [June 2013 Paper 2 Q21] is a factor of .
?
f
? Work out the largest possible value of .
7 Largest value is 3.
2 Show that is a factor of
? is a factor of
.
3
is a factor of .
? .
Find the values of and
Work out the value of . Note that so and .

? N
4
is a factor of . Determine the value of .
?
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Fully Factorising

Fully factorise

What’s a dumb but moderately effective way of finding the factors?

If , then say try and see where the remainder is 0.
?
so is a factor.
so is a factor.
so is a factor.

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But we had to try a lot of values. Is there a better way?
Normal Long Division

38.
11 4 2 3 . 0 0 0 0
33 1. We found how many whole

93 number of times (i.e. the

quotient) the divisor went into
the dividend.

88
5 0
2. We multiplied the quotient
by the dividend.

3. …in order to find the

remainder.

4. Find we ‘brought down’ the

next number.
 𝑥 +7 𝑥+12
2

𝑥 −1 𝑥 + 6 𝑥 +5 𝑥 − 12
3 2
3 2
𝑥 −𝑥
Divide just the
first terms, i.e.
Bring down
extra term.
2
by .
7 𝑥 +5𝑥 And repeat!

Multiply whole 2
7 𝑥 −7 𝑥
times it went in by
the we divided by
so we can find
remainder. 12 𝑥 −12
The Anti-Idiot Test:
You should get a remainder of
12 𝑥 −12
0
0 at the end if you know it’s
supposed to divide exactly.
Finishing off the question
Fully factorise

𝑥 +7 𝑥+12
2

𝑥 −1 𝑥 + 6 𝑥 +5 𝑥 − 12
3 2

𝑥 +6 𝑥 +5 𝑥−12=( 𝑥−1 ) ( 𝑥 ?+7 𝑥+12 )

3 2 2?
Quicker Way
Fully factorise
We established was a factor.
We can immediately tell two of the terms of the other bracket (think
about the expansion)

? ?

We then know that the two brackets this larger bracket factorises to
must end with two numbers that multiply to give 12.
and sounds like a sensible guess, so we then could try and to see if
we were right.
?
?
Another Example

Fully factorise
Try to find an initial factor by using the factor theorem.

Therefore is a factor.? Then:

Then divide by this factor you found. ?

?
𝑥? −𝑥
2 ?
−?6
𝑥 − 1 𝑥 3 − 2 𝑥 2 − 5 𝑥 +6
3 ? 2
𝑥 − 𝑥2
? 5𝑥
− 𝑥 2−
− 𝑥 ?+ 𝑥
−6 𝑥? +6
−6 𝑥? +6
Test Your Understanding

Fully factorise
Recap:
1. Try for a few values to establish an initial
factor.
2. Do long division by your factor to find the
remaining expression.
3. Factorise (by normal quadratic factorisation)
this expression you get.

¿ ( 𝑥+ 2 ) ( 𝑥 −2
? ) ( 𝑥 −3 )
If you finish quickly:
Solve
( 𝑥+ 1 )( 𝑥 +4 ) ( 𝑥 −2 ) =0?→ 𝑥=−1 𝑜𝑟 − 4 𝑜𝑟 2
 Exercises
1 Factorise the following:
a ?
b ?
c ?
Solve
d the following: ?
e ?
2
a ?
b ?
c
?
So……

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Remember

Multiplying both sides by :

The fundamental theorem of Algebra

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For complex numbers
So……

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Sum and product of polynomial roots
Sum and product of polynomial roots