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Polynomials, Algebra Revision Notes From A-Level Maths Tutor

All about Polynomials,their degree of order,how to do algebraic long division,getting to grips with the Remainder theorem and the Factor theorem.many worked examples to illustrate.

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A-level Maths Tutor
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3K views4 pages

Polynomials, Algebra Revision Notes From A-Level Maths Tutor

All about Polynomials,their degree of order,how to do algebraic long division,getting to grips with the Remainder theorem and the Factor theorem.many worked examples to illustrate.

Uploaded by

A-level Maths Tutor
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Algebra Pure Maths topic notes

A-level Maths Tutor www.a-levelmathstutor.com [email protected]

Algebra : polynomials

Introduction

A polynomial is an expression which:

consists of a sum of a finite number of terms


has terms of the form kxn
(x a variable, k a constant, n a positive integer)

Every polynomial in one variable (eg 'x') is equivalent to a polynomial with the form:

Polynomials are often described by their degree of order. This is the highest index of the
variable in the expression.

eg: containing x5 order 5, containing x7 order 7 etc.

These are NOT polynomials:

3x2+x1/2+x

second term has an index which is not an integer(whole number)

5x-2+2x-3+x-5

indices of the variable contain integers which are not positive

examples of polynomials:

x5+5x2+2x+3

(x7+4x2)(3x-2)

x+2x2-5x3+x4-2x5+7x6

A-level Maths Tutor www.a-levelmathstutor.com [email protected]


Algebra Pure Maths topic notes

A-level Maths Tutor www.a-levelmathstutor.com [email protected]

Algebraic long division

If

f(x) the numerator and d(x) the denominator are polynomials

and

the degree of d(x) <= the degree of f(x)

and

d(x) does not =0

then two unique polynomials q(x) the quotient and r(x) the remainder exist, so that:

Note - the degree of r(x) < the degree of d(x).

We say that d(x) divides evenly into f(x) when r(x)=0.

Example

A-level Maths Tutor www.a-levelmathstutor.com [email protected]


Algebra Pure Maths topic notes

A-level Maths Tutor www.a-levelmathstutor.com [email protected]

The Remainder Theorem

If a polynomial f(x) is divided by (x-a), the remainder is f(a).

Example

Find the remainder when (2x3+3x+x) is divided by (x+4).

The reader may wish to verify this answer by using algebraic division.

A-level Maths Tutor www.a-levelmathstutor.com [email protected]


Algebra Pure Maths topic notes

A-level Maths Tutor www.a-levelmathstutor.com [email protected]

The Factor Theorem


( a special case of the Remainder Theorem)

(x−a) is a factor of the polynomial f(x) if f(a) = 0

Example

A-level Maths Tutor www.a-levelmathstutor.com [email protected]

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