Polynomial Functions:
Problem 1: A polynomial function p(x) with real coefficients and of degree 5 has
the zeros: -1, 2(with multiplicity 2) , 0 and 1. p(3) = -12. Find p(x).
Solution to Problem 1:
p(x) can be written as follows
p(x) = ax(x + 1)(x - 2)2(x - 1) , a is any real constant not equal to zero.
p(3) = -12 gives the following equation in a.
a(3)(3 + 1)(3 - 2)2(3 - 1) = -12
Solve the above equation for a to obtain
a = -1/2
p(x) is given by
p(x) = -0.5x(x + 1)(x - 2)2(x - 1)
The graph of p(x) is shown below.
Check the intercepts and the point (3 , -12) on the graph of p(x) found above.
Problem 2: The graph below is that of a polynomial function p(x) with real
coefficients. The degree of p(x) is 3 and the zeros are assumed to be integers.
Find p(x).
Solution to Problem 2 :
The graph has 2 x intercepts: -1 and 2. The x intercept at -1 is of multiplicity 2.
p(x) can be written as follows
p(x) = a(x + 1)2(x - 2) , a is any real constant not equal to zero.
To find a we need to use more information in the graph. The y intercept is at (0 ,
-2), which means that p(0) = -2
a(0 + 1)2(0 - 2) = -2
Solve the above equation for a to obtain
a=1
p(x) is given by
p(x) = (x + 1)2(x - 2)
Problem 3: Given f(x) = 2x2 + 9x 8, find f(4).
Problem 4 : Given g(x) = 3x3 5x2 + 4x + 2, find g(2).
Problem 5 :Given f(x) = 2x3 7x2 + 9x + 22, find f(3).
Polynomial Functions:
Example 1 : Given h(x) = 4x3 + 7x 4, find h(3).
Example 2 : Given g(x) = 2x4 7x3 + 2x 3, find g(2)
Example 3: Given f(x) = x3 + 5x2 x + 9, find f(6).
EXAMPLE 4: Find the roots of
.
Solution: We must first put the equation into factored form.
Pulling out an x, we get
. Since
to
, we have
factors
Then, to find the roots, we solve the equation
.
Solving
,
, and
, we find that the roots are
and
.
EXAMPLE 5: Find all roots of
and give their multiplicities.
Solution: We can write the function as
find the roots by solving
.
Setting each term individually equal to zero, we get
,
,
,
and
. Thus, the two unique roots are
and
, which have
multiplicities of 2 and 3, respectively.
and
,
Synthetic Division:
Example 1: Evaluate (x3 8x + 3) (x + 3) using synthetic division
Solution:
(x3 8x + 3) is called the dividend and (x + 3) is called the divisor.
Step 1:
Write down the constant of the divisor with the sign changed
3
Step 2:
Write down the coefficients of the dividend. (Remember to add a coefficient of 0 for the
missing terms)
Step 3:
Bring down the first coefficient.
Step 4:
Multiply (1)( 3) = 3 and add to the next coefficient.
Repeat Step 4 for all the coefficients
We find that (x3 8x + 3) (x + 3) = x2 3x + 1
Example 2: Divide using synthetic division. Express your answer as:
(dividenddivisor) = quotient + (remainderdivisor).
(x3 - 9x2 - 5x + 4) (x - 3)
Solution:
x3 - 9x2 - 5x + 4
x - 3 is the divisor.
Use the synthetic division.
3|
-9
3
-5
- 18
4
- 69
----------------------------1
-6
- 23 - 65
----------------------------x3-9x2-5x+4x - 3 = (x2 - 6x - 23) - 65x - 3
Example 3: Divide using synthetic division. Express your answer as:
(dividenddivisor) = quotient + (remainderdivisor).
(4x3 - 15x + 17) (x + 8)
Solution:
4x3 - 15x + 17
x + 8 is the divisor.
Use the synthetic division.
- 8|
0
- 15
17
- 32
256
- 1928
------------------------------4 - 32
241
- 1911
------------------------------[The x2 term is missing, so insert 0 for 0x2.]
4x3 - 15x + 17x + 8 = (4x2 - 32x + 241) - 1911x + 8
Example 4: Divide using synthetic division. Express your answer as:
dividenddivisor = quotient + remainderdivisor.
(x4 - 14x2 + 15x - 16) (x + 3)
Solution:
x4 - 14x2 + 15x - 16
x + 3 is the divisor.
Use the synthetic division.
- 3|
0
-3
- 14
9
15 - 16
15 - 90
------------------------------1 -3
- 5 30 - 106
------------------------------[The x3 term is missing, so insert 0 for 0x3.]
x4 - 14x2 + 15x - 16x + 3 = (x3 - 3x2 - 5x + 30) - 106x + 3
Example 5: Divide using synthetic division. Express your answer as:
(dividenddivisor) = quotient + (remainderdivisor).
(x4 - 4x3 + 4x2 - 2x + 3) (x - 2)
Solution:
x4 - 4x3 + 4x2 - 2x + 3
x - 2 is the divisor.
Use the synthetic division.
2|
1 -4
4 -2 3
2 -4
0 -4
-------------------------1 -2 0 -2
-1
--------------------------
x4 - 4x3 + 4x2 - 2x + 3x - 2 = (x3 - 2x2 - 2) - 1x - 2
Synthetic Division
Example 1 : Divide using synthetic division. Express your answer as:
(dividenddivisor) = quotient + (remainderdivisor).
(x4 - x3 - 5x2 + 4x - 6) (x + 8)
Solution:
x4 - x3 - 5x2 + 4x - 6
x + 8 is the divisor.
Use the synthetic division.
- 8|
-1
-5
4
-6
-8
72 - 536 4256
---------------------------------1 -9
67 - 532 4250
---------------------------------
x4-x3-5x2+4x - 6x + 8 = (x3 - 9x2 + 67x - 532) + 4250x + 8
Example 2: Divide using synthetic division. Express your answer as:
(dividenddivisor) = quotient + (remainderdivisor).
(y4 - 32) (y + 2)
Solution:
y4 - 32
y + 2 is the divisor.
Use the synthetic division.
- 2|
0
0
0 - 32
-2
4 -8
16
---------------------------1 -2
4 - 8 - 16
---------------------------[The x3, x2 and x terms are missing, so insert 0 for 0x3, 0x2 and 0x.]
y4 - 32y + 2 = (y3 - 2y2 + 4y - 8) - 16y + 2.
Example 3: Divide (5 x 4 + 6 x 3 9 x 2 7 x + 6) by ( x + 2) using the
synthetic method.
To put the divisor, x + 2, into the form x a, use the constant's negative.
That means using x (+2), so a = 2.
The answer is
Example 4: Divide (2 x 11 + 3 x 3) by ( x 3).
The division answer is
Example 5: What is the result when 4x
by x - 3 ? What is the remainder?
-6x
-12x2 - 10x + 2 is divided
The result is 4x
+6x
+ 6x + 8 , and the remainder is 26.
