FINDING THE ROOTS OF

A POLYNOMIAL
EQUATION
Q2 Wk2 Lesson 1
 OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson the learners
should be able to:

1. illustrate a polynomial equation;

2. determine the roots of a polynomial
equation in factored form; and,
“Am I Polynomial or Not?”

1. Polynomial

2. Polynomial

3. NOT Polynomial

4.
NOT Polynomial

5. Polynomial
Polynomial Equation

If the algebraic expression

is a polynomial, then the equation

is called a polynomial equation.

Illustration 1:
The following are examples of
polynomial equations.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.
The Roots of a Polynomial Equation

The complex value /s of that make /s the polynomial

equation

TRUE is /are called the root /s of the polynomial

equation.
COMPLEX NUMBERS
 Theorems

1. If is a polynomial of degree with real coeffi cients,

then it has exactly roots which may be real or
imaginary.

2. If is a polynomial of degree with real coeffi cients,

then it has at most real roots.
Note: The word at most n in this context is n, n-2, n-4, …, 1 or 0.
Why? Because when some roots are imaginary, they always come
in pairs; the number of imaginary roots are 2, or 4, or 6, … .
Illustration 2:
From

The following are TRUE about the

polynomial:

1. Since its degree is 3 then it has

exactly 3 roots, which maybe real
or imaginary.

2. Since the degree is 3, then it has

at most 3 real roots.
 PRACTICE EXERCISE 1
HOW MANY ROOT/S HAS EACH OF THE
FOLLOWING POLYNOMIAL EQUATIONS?

1.
2.
3. Let’s check.
1. 1
2. 2
3. 4
4. 4. 8
5. 10

5.
 PRACTICE EXERCISE 1
HOW MANY REAL ROOTS HAS EACH OF THE
FOLLOWING POLYNOMIAL EQUATIONS?

6.
7.
Let’s check
1. At most 3
8. 2. At most 5
3. At most 7
 Theorem

3. If is a factor of a polynomial , then is

a root of multiplicity .

Important Note:

Multiplicity of implies that the root c is counted/repeated times.

 The following are TRUE about the
polynomial:

Illustration 3 1. 3 is a root of multiplicity 2, and -2

is a root of multiplicity 1.
From

2. We will write the roots in set

notation, either of the following
can be the notation:
 PRACTICE EXERCISE 2
FIND ALL THE ROOTS OF EACH POLYNOMIAL EQUATION
BELOW. WRITE YOUR ANSWERS IN SET NOTATIONS.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Q2 W2 Assignment
WB pp. 50
Exercise 2.5
A 1-5