Remainder

and
Factor Theorems
Objectives:
Find Understand the use of Remainders
Use the Factor Theorem and Synthetic
Division to find all factors of polynomial

The Remainder
Theorem
What is the Remainder Theorem:
When we divide a polynomial f(x) by x-c the
remainder r equals f(c).
Why is the Remainder Theorem Useful?
So we dont have to do any division!
And we can just calculate f(c) to get the value of our
remainder.
The value of the remainders helps determine
FACTORS! (IMPORTANT!!!)

Lets see The Remainder Theorem in

ACTION!

Example: 2x2-5x-1 divided by x-3

We don't need to divide by (x-3) ... just calculate f(3) by

substitution.

You do it.substitute 3 for x

2(3)2-5(3)-1 = 2x9-5x3-1 = 18-15-1 = 2

So my remainder is _____!

Because your remainder

= 2 and not 0, (x-3) is not
2

REMAINDER THEOREM
Let f be a polynomial function. If f (x) is divided
by x c, then the remainder is f (c).
Lets look at an example to see how this theorem is useful.

f x 2 x 3x 2 x 1
3

So the remainder we get in synthetic division is the same as the answer wed
get if we put -2 in the function.
The root of x +
2 = 0 is x = -2

Find f(-2)

-2

-3
2 -1
-4 14 -32

-7

16 -33

using synthetic
division lets divide by
x+2

the remainder

f 2 2 2 3 2 2 2 1 33
3

The Factor Theorem

Given:
p(x) = 2x3 - 5x2 + x - 12
p(3) = 2(3)3 5(3)2 + 3 - 12 = 54-45+3-12 = 0
By the Remainder Theorem :the factor (x-3) gives no remainder

Since (x-3) divides exactly into

p(x)
With no remainder (x-3) is a
factor.

Using the Remainder Theorem.

Evaluate f(x) = x3 10x + 7; f(3)

By Substitution.

By Synthetic
Division.

Your turn! Find the remainder

Let f ( x ) 3 x 5 5 x 3 57.
Find the remainder when divided by ( x 2)
____________________________________
2

57

6 12

14 28 56

3 6

14 28

Remainder =
1

Is (x+2) a factor?

You try! Find the remainders

for each.

Handout (1-6) 5 minutes

FACTOR THEOREM
Let f be a polynomial function. Then x c is a
factor of f (x) if and only if f (c) = 0
If and only if means this will be true either way:
1. If f(c) = 0, then x - c is a factor of f(x)
Try synthetic division
and see if the
remainder is 0

2. If x - c is a factor of f(x) then f(c) = 0.

Is x 3 a factor of 4 x 5 x 8 ?
Opposite sign -3
-4
5
0
8
NO
its not a factor.
goes here
12 -51
In fact,
f(-3) = 161
153-4 17 -51 161
We could have computed
3

f(-3) at first to determine

this.

f 3 4 3 5 3 8 161
3

Not = 0 so not a factor

The Factor Theorem tells us :

When f(c)=0 then x-c is a factor of the polynomial

And the other way around, too:

When x-c is a factor of the polynomial then

f(c)=0..
Reminder: When we used Synthetic Division, we verified the number
in the house was a root because _Our remainder was zero____.

Why Is the Factor Theorem

Useful?
We can quickly check if (x-c) is a factor!
And..
Knowing that x-c is a factor is the same as
knowing that c is a root (and vice versa).

The Factor Theorem

The binomial x - a is a factor of the polynomial f ( x ) if and only if f (a ) 0
Let f ( x ) x 3 5 x 2 12 x 36
Is the binomial x 3 a factor of the polynomial f ( x ) ?
3

1 5 -12 -36
3 24 36
1 8

12

Since the remainder is

0, x-3 is a factor of the
polynomial.

So recall: If our remainder equals zero like

before when using Synthetic Division, is the
# in the house a root?

The Factor
Theorem
Is x - 2 a factor of x x 2 x 2 ?
4

2 1 1 0 2 2
1

2
1

2 4 12
2 6 10

Remainder = 10,
therefore

(x-2)

Is NOT a
factor

Is (x + 4) a factor of f(x) = x3 + 64?

Procedure: Use synthetic Division to
check if your remainder is zero!

Guided Practice Handout 714.

ContinuedSince (x+4) is a
factor, find the other
factors!

More Examples of
Using The Factor
Theorem
Given
a polynomial and one of its factors, find the

remaining factors of the polynomial. Some factors may

not be binomials.

1. x 8 x x 42 ( x 7)
3

1.( x 3)( x 2)

3. 6x 13 x 36 x 43 x 30 ( x 2)
4

3.(3 x 2 8 x 5)(2 x 3)

Open response Classwork

Grade

Choose 1 question to respond to.

The Factor Theorem allows us to _________.

The Remainder theorem is helpful when
_______.