The Remainder Theorem;

The Factor Theorem

P(b/a) = R;
P(b/a) = 0

Factors & zeros of a polynomial

Consider the polynomial (quadratic)

P(x) = 2x2 x 3
When x = -1,
P(-1) = 2(-1)2 (-1) 3 = 0.
When x = 3/2,
P(3/2) = 2(3/2)2 3/2 3 = 9/2 3/2 3 = 0
The polynomial P(x) = 0 when x = -1 and 3/2.
x = -1 and 3/2 are called the zeros of P(x).

Factors & zeros of a polynomial

A number a R is known as a zero of a

polynomial P(x) if P(a) = 0.
If a is a zero of the polynomial P(x), then (x a) is
a factor of P(x).
So the zeros of a polynomial are the roots of the
equation P(x) = 0
The above example can be factorised as,
P(x) = 2x2 x 3
= (x + 1)(2x 3)

This is Form 5 work. Now we

are going to factorise
polynomials of degrees
higher than 2.

The Remainder Theorem

Consider the division of P(x) =2x3 7x2 9x + 38

by (x
3):
2x2 x 12
x 3) 2x3 7x2 9x + 38
2x3 6x2
- x2 9x + 38
- x2 + 3x
-12x + 38
-12x + 36
Remainder 2
2
So, we write
P(x) = 2x3 7x2 9x + 38 = (2x2 x 12)(x 3) + 2

The Remainder Theorem

P(x) = 2x3 7x2 9x + 38 = (2x2 x 12)(x 3) + 2

When we substitute x = 3, we get:

P(3) = 2(3)3 7(3)2 9(3) + 38
= 54 63 27 + 38
=2
Or, P(3) = (2(2)2 2 12)(3 3) + 2
=2
P(3) gives the remainder!

The Remainder Theorem

In general, if a polynomial of degree n, P(x), is

divided by a linear divisor (ax b), the quotient
Q(x) is of degree (n 1) and the remainder is a
constant, R.
P(x) Q(x)(ax b) + R
By substituting x = b/a, we have
P(b/a) = R

When a polynomial P(x) is divided

by (ax b), the remainder is P(b/a).

The Remainder Theorem

Example:
Find the remainder when f(x) = x5 4x3 + 3x + 7 is
divided by (i) (x 1), (ii) (x + 2), (iii) (2x 1)
The remainder when f(x) is divided by (x 1) is
f(1) = 1 4 + 3 + 7 = 7
The remainder when f(x) is divided by (x + 2) is
f(-2) = (-2)5 4(-2)3 + 3(-2) + 7 = 1
The remainder when f(x) is divided by (2x 1) is
1
=
8
/32
5
3
f() = () 4() + 3() + 7

The Factor Theorem

If (ax b) is a factor of the polynomial P(x),

then there is no remainder.
So
P(x) Q(x)(ax b)
By substituting x = b/a, we have
P(b/a) = 0.

For a polynomial P(x), (ax b) is a factor

if and only if P(b/a) = 0.

The Factor Theorem

The factor theorem is used to factorise polynomials.

Example: Factorise P(x) = 6x3 5x2 3x + 2.
By trial and error, P(1) = 6 5 3 + 2 = 0.
(x 1) is a factor.
P() = 6()3 5()2 3() + 2 = 0
(2x 1) is also a factor.
Let the third factor be (ax + b).
Then, P(x) = (x 1)(2x 1)(ax + b).
Equating the coefficient of x3: 2a = 6, or a = 3
Comparing the constant term: (-1)(-1)(b) = 2, or b = 2

Hence, P(x) = (x 1)(2x 1)(3x 2).

Solve this problem:

The expression x3 + px2 + qx + r is divisible

by both x and x 3 but leaves a remainder
of 40 when divided by x + 2. Determine
(a) the values of p, q and r,
(b) all the factors of the expression,
(c) the remainder when the expression is
Answer:
divided by x 1.

(a) 5, 6, 0
(b) x(x 2)(x 3)
(c) 2.