ALGEBRA

Polynomials
A polynomial can have constants, variables and exponents, but never division by a variable.

ax n bx n 1 ..... jx k
Addition, subtraction and multiplication of polynomials
To add or subtract two polynomials, simply just subtract or add the coefficients of the corresponding powers (like terms).
When you multiply two polynomials, the degree of the product polynomial is the sum of the degrees of the two
polynomials.
1 (3x 2 4 x 1) ( x 2 3 x 7)
2 ( 2 3 x 3 2 x 5 ) (2 x 4 3 x 3 5 x 2 1)

3( x 3 2 x 2 5 x 3) ( x 2 x 4)

(3x 3 6 x 2 15 x 9) (2 x 2 2 x 8)

( x 2 2 x 3)( x 2 3 x 4)

(3x 2 x 2)( 4 x 3 5 x 1)

Division of polynomials
f ( x)
q( x )
g ( x)

f ( x) g ( x)q( x) r ( x)

r (x)

with remainder
, then we can write as
f ( x) dividend
q ( x ) quotient
g ( x) divisor
r ( x) remainder
Where
The degree of the remainder is less than the degree of the divisor, while the degree of the quotient is equal to the
f (x)

Method 1: Equating coefficients:

degree of

g (x)

-the degree of
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1

3x 2 5 x 2 x 2
One factor of
is
. Find the other
factor.

2
Find the quotient and remainder if
x 2 2x 2
divide by
.

x 4 3x 2 2

Method 2: Polynomial Long division:

1 Find the quotient and the remainder when
5x 2
5x 3 3x 2 8x 8
divide by

Practice:
1
x4 4
Find the quotient and the remainder when
x 2 2x 2
divide by
.

2 Find the quotient and the remainder when

( x 1)
6 x 3 7 x 2 15 x 4
divide by
.

Find the quotient and the remainder when

x 4 2x3 6x 9
x3 3
divide by

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It is given that
( x a )( x 2 bx 2) x 3 2 x 2 x 6
, where a
and b are constants. Find the value of a and b.

4 Find the quotient and the remainder when

x 4 2x3 7x 2 7x 5
x 2 2x 2
divide by
.

The remainder theorem

p(x)
p (t )
p (x)
xt
When a polynomial
is divided by
, the remainder is the constant
. When a polynomial
is divided by
t
p
s
sx t
, the remainder is the constant
.
1
Find the remainder when
x3
.

x 3 3x 4

2
is divided by

Find the remainder when

2x 3
.

x 3 3x 4

is divided by

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2 x 3 x 2 3x q
When
is divided by
remainder is 12. Find the value of q.

( x 2)

the

2 x 3 ax 2 6 x 1

The remainder obtained when

is
( x 2)
divided by
is twice the remainder obtained
( x 1)
when the same expression is divided by
. Find
the value of a.

p ( x) 2 x 3 x 2 ax b
When the polynomial
is
( x 2)
p(x)
divided by
the remainder is 25. When
is
( x 1)
divided by
the remainder is also -5. Find the
value of a and b.

6
The expression

b ax 4 x 2 8 x 3
( x 1)

gives a remainder

of -19 when divided by

and a remainder of 2
(2 x 1)
when divided by
. Find the value of a and b.

The factor theorem

p (x) p (a ) 0
p(x)
( x a)
( x a)
For a polynomial
,if
, then the remainder when
is divided by
is zero,
is a factor of
p(x)
. This result is known as factor theorem and can be used to factorise a polynomial.
1
2
x 3 3 x 2 4 x 12
6x3 7x 2 x 2
Factorise the expression
.
Factorise the expression
.

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3 x 3 2 x 2 bx a

Find the coordinates of the points where the curve

y x 3 6 x 2 11x 6
cuts
i. The y-axis
ii. The x-axis

x 3 x 2 ax b

The expression
is divisible by
( x 1)
but leaves a remainder of 10 when divided by
( x 1)
. Find the value of a and b.

Practice
1
2 x 3 ax 2 13x 6
The cubic polynomial
is
f (x)
( x 3)
denoted by
. It is given that
is factor of
f (x)
.
i.Find the value of a.
f ( x) 0
ii.When a has this value, solve the equation

p(x)

The polynomial
is denoted by
.
( x 1)
p(x)
Is it given that
is a factor of
and that
p (x)
( x 2)
when
is divided by
the remainder is 12.
i.Find the values of a and b.
p (x)
ii.When a and b have these values, factorise
.

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p (x)

The polynomial

is defined by

The polynomial

p ( x) ax 3 x 5 x a 4
3

,
Where a is a constant.
( x 2)
p(x)
i. Given that
is a factor of
, find the
value of a.
ii.
When a has this value,
p(x)
a. Factorise
completely,
p(x)
b. Find the remainder when
is divided
( x 1)
by

y 4 x 3 12 x 2 5 x 6
The diagram show the curve
x 0.5
. Find the value of p and q.

p ( x) ax 3 5 x 2 bx 9
, where a
( 2 x 3)
and b are constants. It is given that
is a
p (x)
p(x)
factor of
, and then when
is divided by
( x 1)
the remainder is 8.
i.Find the values of a and b.
p(x)
ii.When a and b have these values, factorise
completely.

x p xq
. The curve crosses the x-axis at
,
and

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f ( x) ax 3 bx 2 4 x 3
, where a and b are constants.
( x 1)
f (x )
Given that
is a factor of
,
ab 7
i.Show that
.
f (x)
( x 2)
Given also that, when
is divided by
, the remainder is 9,
ii.Find the value of a and the value of b.

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Polynomials
1 Find the quotient and the remainder when
x 4 3x 3 2 x 2 5
x 1
divide by
.

2 Find the quotient and the remainder when

6 x 4 x 3 13 x 10
2x 2 x 4
divide by
.

It is given that
(2 x 1)( ax 2 bx c) d x 3 3 x 2 2 x 1

3x 3 6 x 2 ax 1

The remainder obtained when

is
( x 1)
divided by
is equal to the remainder obtained
( x 3)
when the same expression is divided by
. Find
the value of a.

2 x 3 6 x 2 bx 5

Given that
is a factor of
.
Find the quotient and remainder when the expression
2x 2
is divided by
.

,
where a and b are constants. Find the value of a, b, c
and d.

x2

(2 x 1)

2 x 3 ax 2 16 x 6

Given that
is a factor of
, show that a =9. Find the real quadratic factor of
2 x 3 9 x 2 16 x 6
.

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