3-3 Dividing Polynomials

September 13, 2022

Long Division & Synthetic Method

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 3-3 Dividing Polynomials

Warm Up
Divide using long division.

1. 161 ÷ 7

2. 12.18 ÷ 2.1

Divide.

3. 6x – 15y
3
4. 7a2
– ab
a

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 3-3 Dividing Polynomials

Objective
Use long division and synthetic division
to divide polynomials.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 3-3 Dividing Polynomials

Vocabulary
synthetic division

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 3-3 Dividing Polynomials
Polynomial long division is a method for
dividing a polynomial by another polynomials
of a lower degree. It is very similar to dividing
numbers.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 3-3 Dividing Polynomials
Example 1: Using Long Division to Divide a
Polynomial
Divide using long division.
(–y2 + 2y3 + 25) ÷ (y – 3)

Step 1 Write the dividend in standard form, including

terms with a coefficient of 0.

Step 2 Write division in the same way you would

when dividing numbers.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 3-3 Dividing Polynomials
Example 1 Continued
Step 3 Divide.
Notice that y times 2y2 is 2y3.
Write 2y2 above 2y3.

Multiply y – 3 by 2y2. Then

subtract. Bring down the next
term. Divide 5y2 by y.
Multiply y – 3 by 5y. Then
subtract. Bring down the next
term. Divide 15y by y.
Multiply y – 3 by 15. Then
subtract.
Find the remainder.
Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 3-3 Dividing Polynomials
Example 1 Continued

Step 4 Write the final answer.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 3-3 Dividing Polynomials
Huddle
Divide using long division.
(15x2 + 8x – 12) ÷ (3x + 1)
Step 1 Write the dividend in standard form, including
terms with a coefficient of 0.

Step 2 Write division in the same way you would

when dividing numbers.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 3-3 Dividing Polynomials
Huddle

Step 3 Divide.

Step 4 Write the final answer.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 3-3 Dividing Polynomials
Mastery
Divide using long division.
(x2 + 5x – 28) ÷ (x – 3)

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 3-3 Dividing Polynomials

Synthetic division is a shorthand method of

dividing a polynomial by a linear binomial by
using only the coefficients. For synthetic division
to work, the polynomial must be written in
standard form, using 0 and a coefficient for any
missing terms, and the divisor must be in the
form (x – a).

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 3-3 Dividing Polynomials

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 3-3 Dividing Polynomials

Ex1F

Q1a.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 3-3 Dividing Polynomials
Example 2A: Using Synthetic Division to Divide by a
Linear Binomial
Divide using synthetic division.
(3x2 + 9x – 2) ÷ (x – 1 )
3
Step 1 Identify a.
Step 2 Bring down each coefficient (missing terms
become 0).Then multiply and add for each
column.

Step 3 Write the quotient.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 3-3 Dividing Polynomials
Example 2B: Using Synthetic Division to Divide by a
Linear Binomial
Divide using synthetic division.
(3x4 – x3 + 5x – 1) ÷ (x + 2)
Step 1 Find a.
Step 2 Bring down each coefficient (missing terms
become 0).Then multiply and add for each
column.

Step 3 Write the quotient.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 3-3 Dividing Polynomials
Huddle
Divide using synthetic division.
(6x2 – 5x – 6) ÷ (x + 3)

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 3-3 Dividing Polynomials
Mastery
Divide using synthetic division.
(x2 – 3x – 18) ÷ (x – 6)

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 3-3 Dividing Polynomials
You can use synthetic division to evaluate polynomials.
This process is called synthetic substitution. The
process of synthetic substitution is exactly the same as
the process of synthetic division, but the final answer is
interpreted differently, as described by the Remainder
Theorem.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 3-3 Dividing Polynomials
Example 3A: Using Synthetic Substitution
Use synthetic substitution to evaluate the
polynomial for the given value.

P(x) = 2x3 + 5x2 – x + 7 for x = 2.

Write the coefficients of
the dividend. Use a = 2.

P(2) =

Check Substitute 2 for x in P(x) = 2x3 + 5x2 – x + 7.

P(2) = 2(2)3 + 5(2)2 – (2) + 7
P(2) =
Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 3-3 Dividing Polynomials
Example 3B: Using Synthetic Substitution
Use synthetic substitution to evaluate the
polynomial for the given value.
1
P(x) = 6x4 – 25x3 – 3x + 5 for x = – .
3
Write the coefficients of
the dividend. Use 0 for
the coefficient of x2. Use
a= 1 .
3

P( 1 ) =
3

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 3-3 Dividing Polynomials
Huddle
Use synthetic substitution to evaluate the
polynomial for the given value.

P(x) = x3 + 3x2 + 4 for x = –3.

Write the coefficients of
the dividend. Use 0 for
the coefficient of x2 Use a
= –3.

Check Substitute –3 for x in P(x) = x3 + 3x2 + 4.

P(–3) = (–3)3 + 3(–3)2 + 4
P(–3) =
Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 3-3 Dividing Polynomials
Mastery
Use synthetic substitution to evaluate the
polynomial for the given value.
1
P(x) = 5x2 + 9x + 3 for x = .
5

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 3-3 Dividing Polynomials
Example 4: Geometry Application
Write an expression that represents the area
of the top face of a rectangular prism when the
height is x + 2 and the volume of the prism is
x3 – x2 – 6x.
The volume V is related to the area A and the
height h by the equation V = A  h. Rearranging
for A gives A = V .
h
Substitute.

Use synthetic division.

The area of the face of the
rectangular prism can be
represented by A(x)= _______.
Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 3-3 Dividing Polynomials
Huddle
Write an expression for the length of a
rectangle with width y – 9 and area y2 – 14y +
45.
The area A is related to the width w and the length l
by the equation A = l  w.

Substitute.

Use synthetic division.

The length of the rectangle can be represented by

l(x)= _________.
Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 3-3 Dividing PolynomialsSeptember 13, 202
Lesson Quiz
1. Divide by using long division.
(8x3 + 6x2 + 7) ÷ (x + 2)

2. Divide by using synthetic division.

(x3 – 3x + 5) ÷ (x + 2)

3. Use synthetic substitution to evaluate

P(x) = x3 + 3x2 – 6 for x = 5 and x = –1.

4. Find an expression for the height of a

parallelogram whose area is represented
by 2x3 – x2 – 20x + 3 and whose base is
represented by (x + 3).
Holt McDougal Algebra 2