Dividing by a Monomial

 
Learning Objective(s)
·         Divide a monomial by a monomial.
·         Divide a polynomial by a monomial.
 
Introduction
 
The fourth arithmetic operation is division, the inverse of multiplication. Division of polynomials
isn’t much different from division of numbers. Let’s start with dividing a monomial by another
monomial, which is the basis for dividing a polynomial by a monomial.
 
Dividing Monomials by Monomials
 
When you multiply two monomials, you multiply the coefficients together and then you multiply
the variables together. Similarly, when dividing monomials, you divide the coefficients and then
divide variables. When there are exponents with the same base, the law of exponents says you
divide by subtracting the exponents. Consider this example:
 
 
Example
Proble  
m
 
  Group the monomial into
numerical and variable factors.

    Divide the coefficients, and

divide the variables by
subtracting the exponents of
each y term.
Answer  

 = 
 
 
Here’s another example:
 
 
Example
Problem A rectangle has an area of 8x2 and a length of 4x. Find the

width of the rectangle using the formula:  .

   Substitute known
values.

  Divide coefficients, and

divide the variables by
subtracting the
exponents of
each x term.
     

Answer width =   units  

 
 
Sometimes division requires simplification.
 
 
Example
Problem  

Divide. 
  Group the monomial into
numerical and variable
factors.
   

Simplify  to  .

  Divide the variables by

subtracting the exponents
of r. Note that the variable
has a negative exponent.
  Simplify   by rewriting it as
the inverse of r.
  Multiply.

Answer  

 = 
 
 
Remember that a term is not considered simplified if it contains a negative exponent; this is

why   was rewritten as  .

 
 
Divide:

 
A) 11x4
 
B) 22x3
 
C) 11x3
 
D) 22x4
 
Show/Hide Answer
 
 
 
Dividing Polynomials by Monomials
 
The distributive property states that you can distribute a factor that is being multiplied by a sum
or difference, and likewise you can distribute a divisor that is being divided into a sum or
difference (as division can be changed to multiplication.)
 

 
Or you can distribute the 2, and divide each term by 2.
 

 
Let’s try something similar with a polynomial.
 
 
Example
Problem  

Divide. 
    Distribute 2x over the
polynomial by dividing
each term by 2x.
   Divide each term, a
monomial divided by
another monomial.
Answer  

 = 
 
 
Let’s try one more example, watch the signs.
 
 
Example
Problem  

Divide. 
  Divide each term in the
polynomial by the
monomial.
    Simplify. Remember
that 18 can be written
as 18y0. So the
exponents are  0 – 1
= −1.
  Write the final answer
without any negative
exponents.
Answer  

 = 
 
 
Divide:

A) 
 
B) 
 
C) 
 
 D) 
 
 
Show/Hide Answer
 
 
 
Summary
 
To divide a monomial by a monomial, divide the coefficients (or simplify them as you would a
fraction) and divide the variables with like bases by subtracting their exponents. To divide a
polynomial by a monomial, divide each term of the polynomial by the monomial. Be sure to
watch the signs! Final answers should be written without any negative exponents.