PC Polynomial Zeros
PC Polynomial Zeros
Zeros of a
Polynomial
Function
REMAINDER THEOREM
Let f be a polynomial function. If f (x) is divided
by x – c, then the remainder is f (c).
Let’s look at an example to see how this theorem is useful.
f ( x ) = 2 x − 3x + 2 x − 1
3 2
f ( − 2 ) = 2( − 2 ) − 3( − 2 ) + 2( − 2 ) − 1 = −33
3 2
FACTOR THEOREM
Let f be a polynomial function. Then x – c is a
factor of f (x) if and only if f (c) = 0
If and only if means this will be true either way:
1. If f(c) = 0, then x - c is a factor of f(x) Try synthetic
2. If x - c is a factor of f(x) then f(c) = 0. division and see
if the remainder
Is x + 3 a factor of − 4 x + 5 x + 8 ? is 0
3 2
Opposite -3 -4 5 0 8
NO it’s not a
sign goes 12 -51 153 factor. In fact,
here
-4 17 -51 161 f(-3) = 161
We could have
computed f(-3) at
first to determine ( ) ( ) ( )
3
f − 3 = −4 − 3 + 5 − 3 + 8 = 161
2
f ( x ) = x + x − 3x − x + 2
4 3 2
f ( xstarts
) = Pos. 31 2
x +changes
4
x −Neg. − x +Pos.
2
3x changes 2
f ( − (x ) = ()− x ) 4+ ( − x3) − 3( −2 x ) − ( − x ) + 2
4 3 2
f − x = x − x −3 x + x + 2
There
simplify
are f(-x)
2 sign changes so this means there could be
2 or 0 negative real zeros to the polynomial.
Use Descartes’ Rule of Signs to determine how many
positive and how many negative real zeros the
polynomial may have.
Counting multiplicities and
1 complex (imaginary) zeros, the total
starts Neg. changes Pos. number of zeros will be the same as
the degree of the polynomial.
f ( x ) = −3 x + 4 x + 2
5 4
f ( − x ) = −3( − x ) + 4( − x ) + 2 = 3 x + 4 x + 2
5 4 5 4
f ( x ) = 1x + x − 3x − x + 2
4 3 2
f ( x ) = x + x − 3x − x + 2
4 3 2
Let’s try 1
1 1 1 -3 -1 2 YES! It is a
1 2 -1 -2 zero since the
remainder is 0
1 2 -1 -2 0
( x − 1) ( x 3
+ 2x − x − 2
2
) We found a
positive real zero
Since 1 is a zero, we can write the so Descartes Rule
factor x - 1, and use the quotient to tells us there is
write the polynomial factored. another one
We could try 2, the other positive possible.
± 1, 2 IMPORTANT: Just because 1 worked doesn’t
mean it won’t work again since it could have
1
a multiplicity. Let’s try 1 again,
but we try it on the
3
(
f ( x ) = ( x − 1) x + 2 x − x − 2
2
) factored version
for the remaining
factor (once you have
1 1 2 -1 -2 it partly factored use
that to keep going---
1 3 2 don't start over with
the original).
1 3 2 0
YES! the remainder is 0
x + 3 x + 2 = ( x + 2 )( x + 1)
2
Once you can get it down to 3 numbers here, you can put
the variables back in and factor or use the quadratic
formula, we are done with trial and error.
Let’s take our polynomial then and write all of the
factors we found:
There ended up
f ( x ) = x + x − 3x − x + 2
4 3 2 being two positive
real zeros, 1 and 1
= ( x − 1) ( x + 2 )( x + 1)
2 and two negative
real zeros, -2, and -1.
“Rough” graph
Let’s try another one from start to finish using the
theorems and rules to help us.
f ( x ) = 2 x + 13x + 29 x + 27 x + 9
4 3 2
f ( x ) = 2 x + 13x + 29 x + 27 x + 9
4 3 2
1 2 3 4
starts Pos. changes Neg. changes Pos. Changes Neg. Changes Pos.
f ( − x ) = 2 x − 13 x + 29 x − 27 x + 9
4 3 2
1 3 9
Let’s try -1 − 1, − , − 3, − , − 9, −
2 2 2
-1 2 13 29 27 9 Yes! We found a zero.
-2 -11 -18 -9 Let’s work with
reduced polynomial
2 11 18 9 0 then.
Let’s try -1 again Yes! We found another
-1 2 11 18 9 one. We are done with
-2 -9 -9 trial and error since we
can put variables back in
2 9 9 0 and solve the remaining
2 x + 9 x + 9 = ( 2 x + 3)( x + 3)
2 quadratic equation.
So remaining zeros found by setting these factors = 0
are -3/2 and -3. Notice these were in our list of choices.
f ( x ) = 2 x + 13x + 29 x + 27 x + 9
4 3 2
f ( x ) = ( x + 1) ( 2 x + 3)( x + 3)
2