Notre Dame Math Club

Algebra
Roots of Polynomial

7
Problem 1.1. Show that f (x) = 4x3 + 3x2 − 6x − k has only one real root unless −5 ≤ k ≤ 4

Problem 1.2. For what values of k, does

f (x) = x3 − 3x2 + 6x + k = 0

have three real roots?

Problem 1.3. Continue the analysis of the polynomial equation

f (x) = x7 + 5x6 + x4 − x3 + x2 − 2 = 0

By evaluating f (1), f (0) and f (−1) and by inspecting the form of f (x) foor negative values of x.1

Problem 1.4. By inspection, find one of the roots of the equation

g(x) = 2x4 + 4x3 − 9x2 − 11x − 6 = 0

and determine how many real roots it has.

Problem 1.5. If the roots of 3x3 − x2 − 10x + 8 = 0 are α1 , α2 and α3 , then

5
α1−1 + α2−1 + α3−1 =
4
61
α12 + α22 + α32 =
9
−125
α13 + α23 + α33 =
27
Problem 1.6. Given that P (x) = nxn+4 + 3x4−n − 2x3 + 4x − 5, Q(x) = 3xn+4 − x4 + x3 + 2nx2 + x − 2
are two polynomials. Determine if there exists an integer n such that the difference P − Q is a polynomial
with degree 5 and six terms.

Problem 1.7. Given a4 + a3 + a2 + a + 1 = 0. Find the value of a2020 + a2010 + 1.

Problem 1.8. If (x2 − x − 1)n = a2n x2n + a2n−1 x2n−1 + · · · + a2 x2 + a1 x + a0 , Find the value of a0 + a2 +
a4 + · · · + a2n .

1 Usingvalues and inspection to extract information from a polynomial is one of the most basics yet useful technique for
polynomial equations