Finding all Roots of a Polynomial when some Roots are Given – Notes and Examples

1. Divide out the binomial represented by each root. (Put each root successively in the divisor box
and do synthetic division until you arrive at a quadratic polynomial as a quotient.)
2. Set the resulting quadratic equal to zero and solve for the remaining two roots. (Factor if you can;
use the quadratic formula if you can’t.)
3. Write the given polynomial in its factored form; write all of the roots of the polynomial (solutions to
f ( x)  0 ) together as a set.

Example 1: f ( x)  3x3  8 x 2  41x  30; r1  5

5 3  8  41 30 The other factor is quadratic, so we set that factor equal to 0 and

15 35  30 solve. 3x
2
 7 x  6  0 . Since this is factorable, we solve by
factoring:
3 7 6 0 3x 2  7 x  6  0
3x 2  9 x  2 x  6  0
The remainder is 0, so ( x  5) is a
factor. So far, then, we have
3x( x  3)  2( x  3)  0
f ( x)  3x3  8 x 2  41x  30 ( x  3)(3x  2)  0
 ( x  5)(3x 2  7 x  6) So, the three roots are 5, -3, and 2
f ( x) can be factored
, and
3

completely as f ( x)  ( x  5)( x  3)(3x  2)

Example 2: f ( x)  4 x3  4 x 2  17 x  14; r1  2

2 4  4  17 14 The other factor is quadratic, so we set that factor equal to 0 and

solve. 4 x  12 x  7  0 . Since this is not factorable, we solve
2
8 24  14
using the quadratic formula.
4  12 7 0
12  144  4(4)(7)
x
The remainder is 0, so ( x  2) is a 2(4)
factor. So far, then, we have
12  32
f ( x)  4 x3  4 x 2  17 x  14 
8
 ( x  2)(4 x 2  12 x  7)
12  4 2

8
3 2

2
3 2 3 2
So, the three roots are -2, and
2 2