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The Factor Theorem

1. The document provides 35 problems involving factorizing polynomials and solving polynomial equations. It asks the reader to find factors of polynomials, determine values that make polynomials divisible, and solve polynomial equations. 2. Many problems involve determining unknown constants in polynomials that make certain factors or divisibility conditions true. Other problems ask the reader to fully factorize polynomials or find common factors between two polynomials. 3. The problems cover a wide range of techniques for factoring polynomials, finding values of unknown constants, and solving polynomial equations up to degree 4.

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Aidan
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165 views

The Factor Theorem

1. The document provides 35 problems involving factorizing polynomials and solving polynomial equations. It asks the reader to find factors of polynomials, determine values that make polynomials divisible, and solve polynomial equations. 2. Many problems involve determining unknown constants in polynomials that make certain factors or divisibility conditions true. Other problems ask the reader to fully factorize polynomials or find common factors between two polynomials. 3. The problems cover a wide range of techniques for factoring polynomials, finding values of unknown constants, and solving polynomial equations up to degree 4.

Uploaded by

Aidan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Assignment 2: The Factor Theorem


1. Find the factors of the following polynomials.

(a) 3x3 − 4x2 − 3x + 4.

(b) 2x3 − 5x2 + 4x − 21.

(c) 2x3 + x2 − 13x + 6.

(d) x4 − 14x3 + 71x2 − 154x + 120.

(e) 2x4 − 9x2 − 4x + 12.

(f) x3 − 3x2 − 4x + 12.

(g) x4 − 4x3 − x2 + 16x − 12.

2. Solve the equations:

(a) x3 − 8x2 − 31x − 22 = 0

(b) 6x3 + x2 − 19x + 6 = 0

(c) x3 − 6x2 + 11x = 6

(d) x4 − 4x3 − x2 + 16x = 12

3. Find the value of p if 4x4 − 12x3 + 13x2 − 8x + p is divisible by 2x − 1.

4. Find what values of p must have in order that x − p may be a factor of


( )
4x3 − (3p + 2)x2 − p2 − 1 x + 3.

5. Find what value of p must have in order that x + 2 may be a factor of 2x3 + 3x2 + px − 6. Find
the other factors.

6. Prove that x − 1 is a factor of 2x3 − 13x2 + 23x − 12 and find the other factors.

Hence solve 2x3 − 13x2 + 23x − 12 = 0.

7. Given that x + 2 is a factor of ax2 + x − 2a, find a. Hence find the other factors.

8. Show that the expression x3 + (k − 2)x2 + (k − 7)x − 4 has a factor x + 1 for all values of k. If
the expression also has a factor x + 2, find the value of k and the third factor.

9. Given that x + 2 is a factor of f (x) = a(x − 1)2 + b(x − 1) + 9. The remainder when f (x) is
divided by x + 1 is −11. Find the value of a and b.

10. Given that 2x2 − x − 1 is a factor of ax4 + x3 − bx2 + 5x + 6, find the values of a and b.
2

11. Find the value of p and q if 6x3 + 13x2 + px + q is exactly divisible 2x2 + 7x − 4.

Show also that 3x − 4 is a factor of the given polynomial.

12. The expression x3 + ax2 + bx + 3 is exactly divisible by x + 3 but leaves a remainder of 91 when
divided by x − 4. What is the remainder when it is divided by x + 2 ?
√ √
13. Given that f (x) = x3 + px2 − 2x + 4 3 has a factor x + 2, find the value of p. Show also
√
that x − 2 3 is also a factor and solve the equation f (x) = 0.

14. If x2 + 2x − 3 is a factor of f (x) = x4 + 2x3 − 7x2 + ax + b, find a and b, hence factorize f (x)
completely.

15. The polynomial ax3 + bx2 − 5x + 2a is exactly divisible by x2 − 3x − 4.

Calculate the value of a and b, and factorize the polynomial completely.

16. The expression px3 − 5x2 + qx + 10 has factor 2x − 1 but leaves a remainder of −20 when
divided by x + 2. Find the values of p and q and factorize the expression completely.

17. The polynomials x3 + ax2 − x + b and x3 + bx2 − 5x + 3a have a common factor x + 2. Find a
and b.

18. Given that kx3 + 2x2 + 2x + 3 and kx3 − 2x + 9 have a common factor, what are the possible
values of k ?

19. If the equations ax3 + 4x2 − 5x − 10 = 0 and ax3 − 9x − 2 = 0 have a common root, then show
that a = 2 or 11 .

20. Given that f (x) = 2x3 + ax2 − 7a2 x − 6a3 , determine whether or not x − a and x + a are factors
of f (x). Hence find in terms of a, the roots of f (x) = 0.
( )
21. Given that 4x4 −9a2 x2 +2 a2 − 7 x−18 is exactly divisible by 2x−a, show that a3 −7a−6 = 0
and hence find the possible values of a.

22. Given that 4x4 − 12x3 − b2 x2 − 7bx − 2 is exactly divisible by 2x + b, show that 3b3 + 7b2 − 4 = 0.
Hence find the possible values of b.

23. Factorize completely the expression 4x3 − 13x − 6.


( )
3
Hence solve the equation 2 2x − 2
= 13.
x
24. The expression ax2 + bx − 1 leaves a remainder of R when divided by x + 2 and a remainder of
3R + 5 when divided by x − 3. Show that a = 3b − 1. Given also that the expression is exactly
divisible by 2x − 1, evaluate the value of a and b.
3

25. Given that f (x) = 8x3 − 12x2 + ax + 3 is exactly divisible by 2x − 3. Find the solution set of
f (x) = 0.

26. Given that x2 + x − 6 is a factor of 2x4 + x3 − ax2 + bx + a + b − 1. Find the value of a and of b.

27. When f (x) = x3 − 3x2 + ax + b is divided by x + 1 the remainder is 12 . If x − 2 is a factor of


f (x), then find a and b. Hence solve f (x) = 0.

28. Given that f (x) = kx3 + (3k − 2)x2 − 4 where k is a constant. Given that x + 2 is a factor
of f (x). Find the value of k, with this value of k. find the remainder when f (x) is divided by
2x − 1.

29. Given that x − p is a common factor of x2 − 5x + k and x2 − 6x + 3k, where k ̸= 0, find the
numerical value of p.

30. Given that the expression 2x3 + px2 − 8x + q is exactly divisible by 2x2 − 7x + 6, evaluate
p and q and factorize the expression completely. Hence find the solution set of the equation
2x3 + px2 − 8x + q = 0.

31. Find the remainder when f (x) = 3x3 + x2 + x − 4 is divided by x + 1. Hence find the value of
k for which g(x) = f (x) + k is divisible by x + 1 and factorise g(x) completely.

32. It is given that x − 1 is a factor of f (x), where f (x) = x3 − 6x2 + ax + b.

(a) Express b in terms of a.

(b) Show that the remainder when f (x) is divided by x − 3 is twice the remainder when f (x)
is divided by x − 2.

33. Given that f (x) = 2x3 + ax2 + 10x + b has a factor of 2x + 1 and it leaves the remainder of 30
when divided by x − 2. Find the value of a and of b. Hence solve the equation f (x) = 21x.

34. The polynomial f (x) is given by f (x) = ax3 + 11x2 + cx − 60, where a and c are constants. If
the roots of f (x) = 0 are 2, −3 and k, find the values of a, c and k.

35. Two cubic polynomials are defined by f (x) = x3 + (a − 3)x + 2b, g(x) = 3x3 + x2 + 5ax + 4b,
where a and b are constants.

(a) Given that f (x) and g(x) have a common factor of (x − 2), show that a = −4 and find
the value of b.

(b) Using these values of a and b, factorise f (x) fully. Hence show that f (x) and g(x) have
two common factors.

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