Long Division

© 2007 Thomas M. Kenyon

Use with permission: tkenyon@crcs.wnyric.org
Review:
How many times does 3 go into 24?
24  3  8 times
How many times does 7 go into 35?
35  7  5 times
How many times does -4 go into 12?
12  4  3 times
How many times does 2x2 go into 8x5?
5
5 8x 2 3
8 x  2 x  2  4x times
2x
How many times does 3x go into 15x3?
3 2
15 x  3 x  5 x times
Long division review:
Steps:
68 5
74 50690
90 How many times does 74 go into 370?
506?
629?
ans: 586
444
62 Multiply 5*74
6*74
8*74
ans: 370
444
592
592
37 Subtract
370
Bring down the next
0
DONE!
Repeat the steps
 comment:

74 50690

Wouldn’t it be easier if we only had to worry

about the 7? The 4 makes it harder…

It’d be a lot easier if we just had to worry about

how many times 70 goes into 506 (7*70=490)

Oh well, we weren’t that lucky in 5th grade, but

we’re going to be that lucky when we do this with
polynomials!
 A polynomial long division problem looks like this:
2
(12 x  7 x  10)  (3 x  2)
or this:
2
3x  2 12 x  7 x  10
or this:
2
12 x  7 x  10
3x  2
All three notations mean the same thing: division.
Note: we are not dividing by a monomial this time!
We already learned division by a monomial. This time, the
divisor is a polynomial (we’re going to stick to binomials).
comment:
However, we’re going to learn a new way to divide
by a monomial. We will adapt this new method to
learning long division by a polynomial with 2 or more
terms in it.

3 2
3 x 12 x  6 x  9 x
The steps for long division of polynomials are the same
as the steps for long division of numbers:
First, how many times does it go into the front part?
Second, multiply
Third, subtract
Fourth, bring down the next term (number)
Repeat these four steps until you’re done.
 4x2 -2x +3
2
3 x 12 x  6x
3
6x  9x
12x3
0
-6x2
0
First, how many times 9x does 3x go into 12x ? We already
3

saw atmany
How the beginning
times does that
3x0we
gotake
into 12x
-6x ?and divide it by 3x.
+9x?
32

In this case,
Positive
Divide -6x it goes
3 times.
2
by 3x tointo it out.
find 4x times.
2
In this case, -2x times.
Second, we
Multiply 3 times
multiply
3x -2x
4x2 times 3x.
3x
Third,
Subtract
we subtract
subtract.again.

Bring
Now, we
down
Done!!! bring
thedown
next term.
the next
Then
term.
repeat
Repeat
once the
more.
process.
 Your turn:

Answer:

3x2 -2x +4
3 22
5 x 15 x  10x 10 x  20 20xx
15x3
0
-10x2
0
20x
0
Note: in both of these problems, when we subtracted, we got
zero every time! That’s why long division with polynomials
is easier than long division with numbers.
 2x2 -4x +3
3 2
3 x  5 6 x  2 x -11x 11x + 15
6x3 +10x2
0 (yikes!!)
-12x2
-12x2 -20x
0 + 9x
How many times does 3x go into 6x ?? 3
9x + 15
Good
Now,news!:
MultiplymultiplyYou
2xdon’t
by 3xhave
2
+ 5.to You
worry
have
about
to multiply
how by the
don’t need to worry about the0+ +
That’s the0You
You
Subtract.
Subtract 5 yet… Just,
entire
many times
divisor,
Multiply… 3x+5
not goes
just the
into3x.
something… onlyonly
thinghave
different
Bring down the next term.
How many times does 3x go into 6x3?
to
How do many
Notice:
Multiply“how
we-4x many
from
still
times
by times
always
the the
does
wholeprevious
does
get
3x go
a 3x
into
divisor two
go9x?
into.
examples.
. .” 2
Now,
Be
Bring
Again, how
careful!
down
be many
When
the
careful times
nextyou
with does 3x go into -12x ?
subtract
term
signs.
Multiply
zero
That
a3
are
for
Again,
As is,
usual,
thetimes
the
-4x
don’t
polynomial,
You’re
Everything
times
-12x
3 byterm
first
worry
divide
3x +else
subtracting.
divided
you
subtracting 6x
5. (Use
by
the
3x entire
+when
3about
by
subtract
is thethe
3x is
5
3x
negative
same!
the
to
all Done!
divisor…
we+ 5
find
of
20x. out.
distributive property)
-4x times.
Subtract
2
the terms. All
Subtracting the signs
changes change.
the sign, so it’s the
(again,
This
(the distributive
time,
second it’s 2x20x.
term property)
becomes
2
– 10x 2
)
same as adding
(use the distributive property)
example 2:
5x2 -6x +7
3 2
2 x  4 10 x  32 x +38x
38 x -28
28
10x3 -20x2
0 (yikes!!)
-12x2
-12x2 + 24x
0 + 14x
14x - 28
Good
Multiply
Multiply…
Subtractnews!:
Subtract. You don’t have to worry0about
+ how
0
many
Notice:
How
Now, times
many
multiply
we 2x-
still
times 45xgoes
always
does
2
by into
get
2x -
go
asomething…
4.into
You10xhave
3
?? You
to only have
multiply by the
How
to
Multiply
do many
“how -6x times
many
by thedoes
times
whole 2x go
does into
divisor
2x go14x?
into. . .”
Now,
Multiply
entire
zero
Bring forhow themany
divisor,
the
down 7 by
first
not
the times
the
term
just
next does
entire
when
the
term 2x.we2x go
divisor… into
That’s the-12x
only2
? thing different
Again,
Be careful!
7That
Again,
aretimes
aDivide
Bring
be careful
is,down
don’t
2x
subtracting.
You’re 10x
from
polynomial,
Whenwith
-6x-3 times
worry
4.
by
the
the
subtracting 2x
2xnext
you
you signs.
previous
to
subtract
-find
about 4 out.
term.
subtract
24x. the Done!
all-of
4
examples with monomials.
Subtract
Everything
-12x divided else is2xthe is same!
Allbythe -6xchange.
times.
2
the terms. signs
(again,
(use
(the the
Thisseconddistributive
time,distributive
it’s
term5x 2 property)
(Use property)
becomesthe distributive
+20x2 ) property)
Your turn!!

3x2 -2x -4
3 2
5 x  3 15 x  19 x -14x
14 x  12
+12
15x3 -9x2
0 (yikes!!)
-10x2
-10x2 + 6x
0 - 20x
- 20x + 12
0 + 0