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Exercises: Factorisation and Ruffini's rule

Practice★☆☆
Apply Ruffini's rule to divide the polynomial $P(x) = 3x^3 - 5x^2 + 2x - 7$ by the binomial $(x - 2)$. State clearly which is the quotient polynomial and which is the…

Apply Ruffini's rule to divide the polynomial $P(x) = 3x^3 - 5x^2 + 2x - 7$ by the binomial $(x - 2)$. State clearly which is the quotient polynomial and which is the remainder of the division.

Solve
Practice★☆☆
Without performing the division, use the remainder theorem to find the remainder when dividing the polynomial $P(x) = 2x^4 - x^3 + 5x - 3$ by $(x + 1)$.

Without performing the division, use the remainder theorem to find the remainder when dividing the polynomial $P(x) = 2x^4 - x^3 + 5x - 3$ by $(x + 1)$.

Solve
Practice★☆☆
Use the factor theorem to check if $x = 3$ is a root of the polynomial $P(x) = x^3 - 4x^2 + x + 6$. Justify your answer by showing your work.

Use the factor theorem to check if $x = 3$ is a root of the polynomial $P(x) = x^3 - 4x^2 + x + 6$. Justify your answer by showing your work.

Solve
Practice★☆☆
Factor out the common factor in the following polynomial, simplifying the expression fully: $P(x) = 15x^5 - 10x^4 + 20x^3$

Factor out the common factor in the following polynomial, simplifying the expression fully:

$P(x) = 15x^5 - 10x^4 + 20x^3$

Solve
Practice★☆☆
Factor the following polynomials by recognizing them as the expansion of algebraic identities (perfect square of a sum, perfect square of a difference, or difference of…

Factor the following polynomials by recognizing them as the expansion of algebraic identities (perfect square of a sum, perfect square of a difference, or difference of two squares):

  1. a) $A(x) = x^2 - 14x + 49$
  2. b) $B(x) = 9x^2 - 16$
Solve
Practice★☆☆
Given that $x = 1$ is one of the roots of the polynomial $P(x) = x^3 - 2x^2 - 5x + 6$, use Ruffini's rule to factor it and find the other two roots.

Given that $x = 1$ is one of the roots of the polynomial $P(x) = x^3 - 2x^2 - 5x + 6$, use Ruffini's rule to factor it and find the other two roots.

Solve
Practice★☆☆
Given the already factored polynomial $P(x) = 2x(x + 5)(x - 4)^2$, state directly what all its roots are and specify the multiplicity of each one (whether they are…

Given the already factored polynomial $P(x) = 2x(x + 5)(x - 4)^2$, state directly what all its roots are and specify the multiplicity of each one (whether they are simple, double, etc.).

Solve
Practice★☆☆
Construct a polynomial of degree 3 that has $x_1 = -2$, $x_2 = 0$, and $x_3 = 4$ as roots, and whose leading coefficient is $1$. Express the final result in expanded…

Construct a polynomial of degree 3 that has $x_1 = -2$, $x_2 = 0$, and $x_3 = 4$ as roots, and whose leading coefficient is $1$. Express the final result in expanded form (multiplying out the factors).

Solve
Practice★★☆
A water tank has the shape of a rectangular prism. Its volume in terms of a measurement $x$ is given by the polynomial $V(x) = x^3 + 5x^2 + 6x$. If the height of the…

A water tank has the shape of a rectangular prism. Its volume in terms of a measurement $x$ is given by the polynomial $V(x) = x^3 + 5x^2 + 6x$. If the height of the tank is exactly $x$, factor the polynomial to find the algebraic expressions that correspond to the dimensions of its rectangular base.

V(x) = x³ + 5x² + 6x x ? ?
Solve
Practice★★☆
Find the value of the parameter $k$ so that the polynomial $P(x) = x^3 + kx^2 - 3x + 8$ gives a remainder of $10$ when divided by $(x - 2)$.

Find the value of the parameter $k$ so that the polynomial $P(x) = x^3 + kx^2 - 3x + 8$ gives a remainder of $10$ when divided by $(x - 2)$.

Solve
Practice★★☆
The height of a test drone, in feet, with respect to the time $t$ in seconds since it begins its descent, is modeled by the polynomial $H(t) = -t^3 + 8t^2 - 15t$. Factor…

The height of a test drone, in feet, with respect to the time $t$ in seconds since it begins its descent, is modeled by the polynomial $H(t) = -t^3 + 8t^2 - 15t$. Factor the polynomial to determine at what exact times the drone is at ground level ($H(t) = 0$).

Solve
Practice★★☆
Factor the polynomial $P(x) = 2x^4 - 2x^3 - 12x^2$ completely. To do this, first factor out the common factor and then find the roots of the resulting polynomial.

Factor the polynomial $P(x) = 2x^4 - 2x^3 - 12x^2$ completely. To do this, first factor out the common factor and then find the roots of the resulting polynomial.

Solve
Practice★★☆
Calculate the value of $m$ so that the polynomial $P(x) = x^3 - 2x^2 + mx + 6$ is exactly divisible by $(x - 3)$. Once the value of $m$ is found, factor the polynomial…

Calculate the value of $m$ so that the polynomial $P(x) = x^3 - 2x^2 + mx + 6$ is exactly divisible by $(x - 3)$. Once the value of $m$ is found, factor the polynomial $P(x)$ completely.

Solve
Practice★★☆
The monthly profits of a company, in thousands of dollars, are given by the expression $B(x) = x^3 - 14x^2 + 49x$, where $x$ is the number of months elapsed since its…

The monthly profits of a company, in thousands of dollars, are given by the expression $B(x) = x^3 - 14x^2 + 49x$, where $x$ is the number of months elapsed since its creation. Factor the expression to find out in which month or months the company's profit is exactly zero.

Solve
Practice★★☆
Perform the division of the polynomial $P(x) = 4x^3 - 8x^2 + 5x - 1$ by the binomial $(2x - 3)$. Hint: You can use Ruffini's rule by dividing by $(x - \frac{3}{2})$ and…

Perform the division of the polynomial $P(x) = 4x^3 - 8x^2 + 5x - 1$ by the binomial $(2x - 3)$. Hint: You can use Ruffini's rule by dividing by $(x - \frac{3}{2})$ and subsequently adjusting the quotient obtained.

Solve
Practice★★☆
A packaging company designs a cardboard box whose volume is given by the polynomial $V(x) = x^3 - 12x^2 + 36x$. Factor the polynomial fully to express the volume as the…

A packaging company designs a cardboard box whose volume is given by the polynomial $V(x) = x^3 - 12x^2 + 36x$. Factor the polynomial fully to express the volume as the product of three linear dimensions (length, width, and height).

Solve
Practice★★★
A team of engineers analyzes the stress distribution in a metal beam, which is modeled by the polynomial $P(x) = x^4 - x^3 - 7x^2 + x + 6$. Find all the roots of the…

A team of engineers analyzes the stress distribution in a metal beam, which is modeled by the polynomial $P(x) = x^4 - x^3 - 7x^2 + x + 6$. Find all the roots of the polynomial to determine the exact points where the stress is zero.

Solve
Practice★★★
Determine the values of the parameters $a$ and $b$ so that the polynomial $P(x) = x^4 + ax^3 + bx^2 - 4x + 4$ is simultaneously divisible by $(x - 1)$ and by $(x + 2)$.

Determine the values of the parameters $a$ and $b$ so that the polynomial $P(x) = x^4 + ax^3 + bx^2 - 4x + 4$ is simultaneously divisible by $(x - 1)$ and by $(x + 2)$.

Solve
Practice★★★
A solar panel has a rectangular shape and its area is given by the polynomial $A(x) = x^4 - 81$. Factor the polynomial completely into irreducible polynomials with real…

A solar panel has a rectangular shape and its area is given by the polynomial $A(x) = x^4 - 81$. Factor the polynomial completely into irreducible polynomials with real coefficients to find the possible algebraic expressions for its base and height.

A(x) = x⁴ - 81 Base = ? Height = ?
Solve
Practice★★★
Construct a polynomial $P(x)$ of degree 3 that has $x_1 = 1$, $x_2 = -2$, and $x_3 = 3$ as roots, knowing also that its numerical value at $x = 0$ is $12$ (that is,…

Construct a polynomial $P(x)$ of degree 3 that has $x_1 = 1$, $x_2 = -2$, and $x_3 = 3$ as roots, knowing also that its numerical value at $x = 0$ is $12$ (that is, $P(0) = 12$). Express the final polynomial in expanded form.

Solve
Practice★★★
Factor the polynomial $P(x) = x^4 - 2x^3 - 3x^2 + 4x + 4$ completely. Bear in mind that it may contain multiple roots. State clearly what its roots are and the…

Factor the polynomial $P(x) = x^4 - 2x^3 - 3x^2 + 4x + 4$ completely. Bear in mind that it may contain multiple roots. State clearly what its roots are and the multiplicity of each one.

Solve
Practice★★★
Using polynomial factorization and algebraic identities, prove algebraically that the difference between the squares of two consecutive odd numbers,…

Using polynomial factorization and algebraic identities, prove algebraically that the difference between the squares of two consecutive odd numbers, $(2n+1)^2 - (2n-1)^2$, is always a multiple of $8$ for any integer $n$.

Solve
Practice★★★
It is known that the polynomial $P(x) = 2x^3 + x^2 - 13x + 6$ has at least one integer root. Check using the remainder theorem or Ruffini's rule that $x = 2$ is one of…

It is known that the polynomial $P(x) = 2x^3 + x^2 - 13x + 6$ has at least one integer root. Check using the remainder theorem or Ruffini's rule that $x = 2$ is one of its roots. Next, factor the polynomial completely to find its other two roots (one of them is a fraction).

Solve
Practice★★★
In a cryptography system, a security key is validated if it matches the roots of the polynomial $C(x) = x^5 - 4x^4 + 4x^3 + 2x^2 - 5x + 2$. Factor the polynomial…

In a cryptography system, a security key is validated if it matches the roots of the polynomial $C(x) = x^5 - 4x^4 + 4x^3 + 2x^2 - 5x + 2$. Factor the polynomial completely to discover all the roots and their respective multiplicities, thus managing to decipher the code.

Solve