Synthetic Division

1 March 2011
Synthetic Division
 A trick for dividing polynomials
 Helps us solve for the roots of polynomials
 Only works when we divide by 1st degree
(linear) polynomials

(3x  8x  11x  1)  ( x  2)
4 2

My degree can’t be larger than 1!

Synthetic Division

(3x  8x  11x  1)  ( x  2)
4 2

(2 x  5x  11)  ( x  4 x  2)
4 2
Your Turn
 On the Synthetic Division – Guided Notes
handout, complete problems 1 – 5. You will:
 Decide if it’s possible to use synthetic division to
divide the two polynomials
Division Vocab Review

( x  5x  6)  ( x  3)  x  2
2

Dividend Divisor Quotient

Preparing for Synthetic
Division
 Can only be used when the divisor is in the
form
x–c
 If the divisor isn’t in the form x – c, then you
must convert the expression to include
subtraction.
Preparing for Synthetic
Division, cont.

x 5 x  11
x  11  x  (11)
Preparing for Synthetic
Division, cont.
 Polynomials need to be written in expanded,
standard polynomial form.
 Translation: If you’re missing terms, then you
need to write them out as 0 times (*) the variable.
Preparing for Synthetic
Division, cont.

3x  7 x  2 x
5 3

3x   7 x   2 x 
5 3

3x  0 x  7 x  0 x  2 x  0
5 4 3 2
Your Turn
 On Synthetic Division - Guided Notes handout,
write the dividend in expanded standard
polynomial form for problems 6 – 10.
 Write the divisor in the form x – c.

(8 x  2 x)  ( x  2)
3

(8 x  0 x  2 x  0)  ( x  (2))
3 2
*Synthetic Division Steps
 Example Problem:

(3x  8x  11x  1)  ( x  2)
4 2
Prep Step
 Divisor x – c?
 x–2
 Dividend in Expanded Standard Polynomial
Form?
 3x4 – 8x2 – 11x + 1
 3x4 + – 8x2 – 11x + 1
 3x4 + 0x3 – 8x2 – 11x + 1
Step 1
2

Write the constant value of the divisor (c) here.

Step 2
2 3 0 -8 -11 1

Write all the coefficients of the expanded

dividend here.
Step 3
2 3 0 -8 -11 1

3
“Drop” the 1st coefficient underneath the line.
Step 4
2 3 0 -8 -11 1
6
3
Multiply “c” by the last value underneath the line.
Write their product just underneath the next
coefficient.
Step 5
2 3 0 -8 -11 1
6
3 6
Add together the numbers in that column and
write their sum underneath the line.
Step 6
2 3 0 -8 -11 1
6 12
3 6
Multiply “c” by the last value underneath the line.
Write their product just underneath the next
coefficient.
Step 7
2 3 0 -8 -11 1
6 12 8 -6
3 6 4 -3 -5
Repeat steps 5 and 6 until a number appears in
the box underneath the last column.
Step 8 – Naming the Quotient
2 3 0 -8 -11 1
6 12 8 -6
3 6 4 -3 -5
In the last row are the coefficients of the quotient
in decreasing order. The quotient is one degree
less than the dividend.
 Step 8 – Naming the Quotient
3 6 4 -3 -5

The number in the box is the remainder.

(3x  8x  11x  1)  ( x  2) 
4 2

3x 3 + 6x 2 + 4x – 3 Remainder -5
Your Turn
 On the Synthetic Division – Guided Notes
handout, solve for the quotient of problems
11 – 14 using synthetic division
Synthetic Division and the
Factor Theorem
 Conclusions:
Your Turn:
 Using problems 1 – 12 on the Synthetic
Division Practice handout (last night’s hmwk),
identify which problems represent division by
a factor/root and which problems represent
division by NOT a factor root.
 So What’s Next?
( x  7 x  6)  ( x  2)
3

* To get the
remaining roots, x  2x  3
2
set the expression
equal to 0, factor,
and solve.
Your Turn:
 On the Synthetic Division Practice handout,
solve for the remaining roots for problems
1 – 4 and 10 – 12
Rewriting the Original
Polynomial
 We can use the roots and linear factors to
rewrite the polynomial
 This form is called the product of linear
factors
 If you multiplied all the linear factors together,
then you’d get the original polynomial
Reminder: Roots vs. Linear
Factors
f ( x )  x  2x  3
2

0  x  2x  3
2 Linear
Factors
0  ( x  3)(x  1)
0  x 3 0  x 1
3 x 1  x
Roots
 Product of Linear Factors
 Product = Multiply f ( x )  x  2x  3
2

 Product of linear factors =

Multiply all the linear 0  x  2x  3
2

factors 0  ( x  3)(x  1)
 Translation: Rewrite all
0  x 3 0  x 1
the linear factors with
parentheses around 3 x 1  x
each factor
Product of Linear
 Helpful format for Factors
graphing polynomials