[CHAPTER 6 POLYNOMIALS]

NF2F TUTORIAL MATERIALS

6.1 POLYNOMIALS

1. Find the quotient and remainder by using long division process when

a) x 3  2 x 2  6 x  5 is divided by x  3

b) 4 x 3  3 x 2  2 x  4 is divided by x 2  x  1
c) 3 x 3  2 x 2  5 is divided by x 2  2

6.2 REMAINDER THEOREM, FACTOR THEOREM AND ZEROS OF POLYNOMIAL

2. Find the remainder when 2 x 3  5 x 2  28 x  15 is divided by x  2 .

3. Find the value of r if P( x)  2 x 3  9 x 2  3x  r leaves a remainder -54 when divided by

( x  2) .

4. Express a polynomial h(x) of degree 4, with leading coefficient 3 and -9, -6, 1 and 5 as its
zeroes.

When x  ax  bx  15 x is divided by x  4 x  3 , the remainder is 5 x  3 .Find the

4 3 2 2
5.
values of a and b.

6. Determine if ( x  1) is a factor of P( x)  12 x 3  22 x 2  2 x  8 .

7. Factorize P( x)  x 3  3x 2  x  3 and hence solve the equation P( x)  0 .

8. Given that P( x)  2 x 4  3x 3  10 x 2  12 x  8  (2 x  p)( x  q)( x  r ) 2 , where p, q and r

are positive integers

(a) Determine the values of p, q and r . (b) State the zeroes of P(x) .

9. Polynomial P(x) is defined by P( x)  x 3  4 x 2  7 x  10.

(a) Show that ( x  2) is a factor of P(x) .

(b) Find all the roots of P(x) .

LIM HWEE CHENG_JMC MATHEMATICS UNIT

 [CHAPTER 6 POLYNOMIALS]

10. Given that P( x)  x 2 n  k  3x 2  kx  2 where k and n are positive integers

(a) Show that ( x  1) is a factor of P(x) .
(b) Find the value of n when k = 3, ( x  2) is a factor of P(x) .
(c) Hence, factorize P(x) completely.

11. Given that ( x  3) and (2 x  1) are factors of the polynomial

P( x)  2 x 4  px3  qx2  11x  12

(a) Find the values of the constants p and q.
(b) Factorize P(x) completely and show that the quadratic factor of P(x) is always
positive for all real values of x.
(c) Find the set of values x which satisfies the inequality P( x)  0 .

12. A polynomial has the form P( x)  2 x 3  3x 2  px  q , with x real and p, q constants.

When P(x) is divided by ( x  1) the remainder is ( 2  4 x ) . Find the values of p and q,
and all the roots of P(x) if 2 is one of the roots.

6.3 PARTIAL FRACTIONS

13. Express the following in partial fractions

7 x  12 2x  1
(a) (c)
( x  1)( x  2) ( x  1) 2 ( x  1)
x4 x 1
(b) (d)
( x  5)(2 x 2  1) x3 1

14. Express the following in partial fractions

x2  2x  4 3x 3  12
(b) (c)
( x  1)( x  2) ( x  1)( x 2  2)

x2  x 1 x3
(b) (d)
x 2  2x  1 x 2  3x  2

LIM HWEE CHENG_JMC MATHEMATICS UNIT

 [CHAPTER 6 POLYNOMIALS]

15. Given ( x  3) is one factor of P( x)  9  12 x  11x 2  2 x 3 . Factorise P(x) completely,

13 x  18
and express as a sum of partial fractions
P( x)

16. Two factors of the polynomial P( x)  x 3  ax2  bx  6 are ( x  1) and ( x  2) . Determine

the values of a and b and find the third factor of the polynomial. Hence, express
2 x 2  5 x  13
as a sum of partial fractions
P( x)

4 x 3  3x 2  6 x  27
17. Find the values of A, B, C and D for the expression in the form of
x 4  9x 2
A B Cx  D
partial fractions   where A, B, C and D are constants
x x2 x2  9
18. Given that P( x)  2 x 3  x 2  5x  2
(a) If ( x  a) is a factor of P(x) where a is a positive integer, find the value of a.
(b) Obtain the roots of the equation P( x)  0 .

20 x 2  10
(c) Express in partial fractions
( x  1) P ( x)

PAST YEAR EXAMINATION QUESTIONS

2007/2008
2x  1
19. Express in partial fractions [6 marks]
( x  2)( x 2  2 x  4)

20. (a) Find a cubic polynomial Q( x)  ( x  a)( x  b)( x  c) satisfying the following

conditions : the coefficient of x 3 is 1, Q(-1) = 0 , Q(2) = 0 and Q(3) = -8

[4 marks]
(b) A polynomial P( x)  ax3  4 x 2  bx  18 has a factor ( x  2) and a remainder
( 2 x  18) when divided by ( x  1) . Find the value of a and b. Hence, factorise
P(x) completely [8 marks]

LIM HWEE CHENG_JMC MATHEMATICS UNIT

 [CHAPTER 6 POLYNOMIALS]

2008/2009
5 x 2  3x  8
21. Express in partial fractions [5 marks]
(1  x 2 )(1  x)

22. Polynomial P( x)  mx 3  8x 2  nx  6 can be divided exactly by ( x 2  2 x  3) . Find the

values of m and n. Using these values of m and n, factorise the polynomial completely.
Hence, solve the equation 3x 4  14 x 3  11x 2  16 x  12  0 using the polynomial P(x)
[13 marks]
2009/2010

4x  3
23. Express

x  2 x 2  2 x  2in partial fractions. [6 marks]

24. Given a polynomial P( x)  2 x 3  ax2  bx  30 has factors ( x  2) and ( x  5) .

(a) Find the value of the constants a and b. [6 marks]

(b) Factorize P(x) completely. [3 marks]
(c) Obtain the solution set for P ( x )  0 [3 marks]

2010/2011

25. Dividing M ( x)  x 2  ax  b by ( x  1) and ( x  1) give a remainder of -12 and -16

respectively. Determine the values of a and b. [6 marks]

26. A polynomial f ( x)  px3   p  q x 2   p  2q x  1 has a factor x  1 .

(a) Express q in terms of p. [3 marks]

(b) Write f(x) in terms of p and x. Determine the quotient when f(x) is divided by x  1 .

[3 marks]

(c) Hence, find the value of p if x  3 is one of the roots for f ( x )  0 . Using the value of
p, factorize f(x) completely. [5 marks]

LIM HWEE CHENG_JMC MATHEMATICS UNIT

 [CHAPTER 6 POLYNOMIALS]

2011/2012
6 x  13
27. Express in the form of partial fractions. [5 marks]
3x  42
28. The polynomial p( x)  x 3  2 x 2  ax  b, where a and b are constants, has a factor of

( x  2) and leaves a remainder of a 3 when it is divided by ( x  a ).

(a) Find the values of a and b. [6 marks]

(b) Factorize p(x) completely by using the values of a and b obtained from part (a).
Hence, find the real roots of p ( x)  0, where a and b are not equal to zero.
[6 marks]
2012/2013

2 x 3  7 x 2  17 x  19
29. Express in the form of partial fractions. [7 marks]
2x 2  7x  6
30. The polynomial P( x)  2 x 3  ax2  bx  24 has a factor x  2 and a remainder 15 when
divided by x  3.

(a) Find the values of a and b [6 marks]

(b) Factorise P(x) completely and find all zeroes of P(x). [6 marks]
31. A polynomial P( x)  ax3  3x 2  bx  6 has a factor x  2 and x  3 . Find the values
of the constant a and b. Hence, find the reminder when p(x) is divided by x  1.
[7 marks]
32. (a) Show that 2x  5 is one of the factors of f ( x)  4 x 3  19 x  15 .
Hence, factorise f(x) completely. [6 marks]
2x  1
 
(b) Express in the form of partial fractions. [7 marks]
x  1 x 2  1

LIM HWEE CHENG_JMC MATHEMATICS UNIT

 [CHAPTER 6 POLYNOMIALS]

_____________________________________________________________________________________

SUGGESTED ANSWERS
6.1 POLYNOMIALS
1. (a) Q( x)  x 2  x  3, R( x)  4 (b) Q( x)  4 x  7, R( x)  5 x  11

(c) Q( x)  3x  2, R( x)  6 x  9

6.2 REMAINDER THEOREM, FACTOR THEOREM AND ZEROS OF POLYNOMIAL

2. -45
3. r = - 40
4. h( x)  3x 4  27 x 3  93x 2  747 x  810
5. a = 2, b = -6
6. ( x  1) is a factor of P(x)
7. x  1 , x  1 , x  3
1
8. (a) p  1, q  2, r  2 (b) ,2,2,2
2
9. (a) ( x  2) is a factor of P(x) (b) x = -2, 1, 5

10. (b) n = 2 (c) P( x)  ( x  1)( x  2)( x 2  3x  1)

11. (a) p  11, q  20 (b) P( x)  ( x  3)(2 x  1)( x 2  3x  4)

1
(c) (,3)  ( , )
2
1
12. p  3, q  2, x  2,1,
2
6.3 PARTIAL FRACTIONS
5 2 1 3 1
13. (a)  (c)  
x 1 x  2 4( x  1) 2( x  1) 2
4( x  1)

3 6 x  13 2 2x  1
 
(b)
17 ( x  5) 17 (2 x 2  1)
(d)

3( x  1) 3 x 2  x  1 
7 12 5 2x  8
14. (a) 1   (c) 3   2
x 1 x  2 ( x  1) ( x  2)

LIM HWEE CHENG_JMC MATHEMATICS UNIT

 [CHAPTER 6 POLYNOMIALS]

1 1 1 8
(b) 1   (d) x  3  
x  1  x  12 x 1 x  2
2 1 3
15. P( x)  ( x  3) 2 (1  2 x)  
1  2 x x  3 ( x  3) 2

1 1 2
16. a = 2, b = -5, ( x  3)  
x 1 x  2 x3
2 10
17. A  , B  3, C  , D  0
3 3
1
18. (a) a  2 (b) x  2,1,
2
10 10 2 24
(c)   
x  1 x  12
x  2 2x  1

PAST YEAR (2007/2008-2012/2013)

1 x4
19.  
4( x  2) 4( x  2 x  4)
2

20. (a) Q( x)  x 3  6 x 2  3x  10 (b) a  1, b  3, P( x)  ( x  2)( x  3) 2

4 1 5
21.  
1  x 1  x (1  x) 2

2
22. m  3, n  5, P( x)  ( x  3)(3x  2)( x  1) x  3, x  1, x  , x  2
3
1  x4
23. 
2( x  2) 2( x 2  2 x  2)

24. (a) a  3 b  29

(c) P ( x)  ( x  2)( x  5)(2 x  3)
3
(d) x  (,2)  ( ,5)
2

25. a  2, b  15

26. (a) q  1  p

(b) f ( x)  px3  x 2  (2  p) x  1 ; Q( x)  px2  (1  p) x  1

LIM HWEE CHENG_JMC MATHEMATICS UNIT

 [CHAPTER 6 POLYNOMIALS]

2
(c) p   ; f ( x)  
1
x  1x  32x  1
3 3
2 5
27. 
3 x  4 3 x  4 2

28. (a) a  0, b  0 a  2, b  4 (b) x  2, x   2 , x  2

5 3
29. x 
2x  3 x  2

(b) P( x)  x  2x  42x  3

3
30. (a) a  7 b  10 zeroes  2,4,
2
31. a  4 b  25 R ( x )  12

32. (a) (2 x  5)(2 x  3)( x  1)

3 3x  1
(b)  

2 x  1 2 x 2  1 

LIM HWEE CHENG_JMC MATHEMATICS UNIT