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Target: On completion of this worksheet you should be able to use the remainder
and factor theorems to find factors of polynomials.
Let f ( x) = 3 x 3 + 4 x 2 − 5 x − 2 and x = 1
Example
f (1) = 3 × 13 + 4 × 12 − 5 × 1 − 2 = 0
Factorise ( 2 x + 5 x − x − 6) .
3 2
The remainder is 0.
3 x 3 + 4 x 2 − 5 x − 2 = ( x − 1) × quotient + 0
Let f ( x) = 2 x + 5 x − x − 6 . Since the
3 2
= ( x − 1) × quotient
constant is –6 we will consider factors of this
so ( x − 1) is a factor of (3 x + 4 x − 5 x − 2)
3 2
ie. ± 1, ± 2, ± 3, ± 6. We will try ( x − 1)
f (1) = 2 × 13 + 5 × 12 − 1 − 6 = 0
We can use the remainder theorem to check for
so ( x − 1) is a factor.
factors of a polynomial.
As before Now we can find the quadratic factor by division
f ( x) = ( x − a) × quotient + remainder or by repeating the above.
6x − 6
Let f ( x) = ( 2 x − 3 x − 8 x − 3) and x = 3
3 2 0
as we are checking whether ( x − 3) is a factor. f ( x) = 2 x 3 + 5 x 2 − x − 6
f (3) = 2 × 33 − 3 × 3 2 − 8 × 3 − 3 = 0 = ( x − 1)(2 x 2 + 7 x + 6)
so ( x − 3) is a factor of ( 2 x − 3 x − 8 x − 3) = ( x − 1)( x + 2)(2 x + 3)
3 2
5. f ( x ) = 4 x 3 − 15 x 2 + 17 x − 6
2. Is ( x + 2) a factor of f ( x ) = (4 x + 13 x + 10) ?
2
3. Is ( x − 2) a factor of f ( x) = (4 x 2 + 13 x + 10) ?
4. Is ( x + 3) a factor of Answers:
1. ( x + 1)( x − 2)( x + 3)
f ( x ) = (3 x 3 + 10 x 2 + x − 6) ?
2. ( x + 1)( x − 1)(2 x + 1)
5. Is ( x − 1) a factor of
3. ( x − 4)( x 2 + x + 1)
f ( x ) = (3 x 3 + 10 x 2 + x − 6) ?
4. ( x + 2)(3x 2 + 1)
(Answers: yes, yes, no, yes, no) 5. ( x − 1)( x − 2)(4 x − 3)