Scribd
Upload
44 views

Synthetic Division Review

The document describes how to perform synthetic division by: 1) Writing the divisor as x - c and the dividend with powers of x in descending order; 2) "Bringing down" the first term of the dividend and multiplying it by the divisor; 3) Adding the resulting product to the next term of the dividend. It provides an example of using synthetic division to divide (2x^3 + 3x^2 - 4x + 8) / (x + 3).

Uploaded by

Lailah Rose Angki
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
44 views

Synthetic Division Review

The document describes how to perform synthetic division by: 1) Writing the divisor as x - c and the dividend with powers of x in descending order; 2) "Bringing down" the first term of the dividend and multiplying it by the divisor; 3) Adding the resulting product to the next term of the dividend. It provides an example of using synthetic division to divide (2x^3 + 3x^2 - 4x + 8) / (x + 3).

Uploaded by

Lailah Rose Angki
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

1

Synthetic Division Review

To divide synthetically:

1. The divisor must be a binomial that can be written x – c. Only c is used


from the divisor.
2. The dividend must be written with powers of the variable in descending
order. Only coefficients of the dividend are used and zero (0) is used as a
placeholder for any missing variable term or constant.

The following is an example that demonstrates how to write the problem to


divide synthetically.

(x3 + 4x2 – 8) / (x + 4)

(1x3 + 4x2 + 0x – 8)
x + 4 is the divisor -4 1 4 0 -8 ⇐ Dividend
⇑ -4 0 0
Divisor 1 0 0 -8 ⇐ (-8) Remainder
⇑ ⇑ ⇑
Quotient

We now outline the actual sequence of steps involved when using synthetic
division to solve (2x3 + 3x2 – 4x + 8) / (x + 3)

First, show the divisor and the dividend:

-3 2 3 -4 8

Next, “bring down” the first coefficient of the dividend:

-3 2 3 -4 8
⇓________
2
2

Step 1 -3 2 3 -4 8 Step 2


Multiply (-3) (2) ⇓ -6______ ⇐ Product of (-3) (2)
⇓ ⇒ 2 -3
⇑
Step 3
Add (3) + (-6)

Continue following a similar pattern:

-3 2 3 -4 8 Step 2
Step 1 ⇓ -6 9__ ⇐ Product of (-3) (-3)
Multiply ⇓ 2 -3 5
(-3) (-3) ⇓⇒⇒⇑ ⇑
Step 3 Add (-4) + (9)

Continue:

Step 1 -3 2 3 -4 8 Step 2


Multiply (-3) (5) ⇓ -6 9 -15 ⇐ Product of (-3) (5)
⇓ 2 3 5 -7
⇓⇒⇒⇒⇒ ⇑ ⇑
Step 3
Add (8) + (-15)

The quotient is read using the numbers in the final row as coefficients and
by lowering the highest exponential power of the original dividend by one.
Q(x) = 2x2 + 3x + 5

The remainder is the last digit in the final row: R(x) = -7


The remainder is expressed as a numerator with the divisor as the
denominator. Example: -7 / (x + 3)

The final answer is: 2x2 + 3x + 5 – 7/(x + 3)


3

Use synthetic division to perform the indicated division. Write the answer
by stating the quotient, Q(x), and the remainder R(x).

Answers:

1. (4x3 – 10x2 – 11x + 16) / (x – 4) 1. 4x2 + 6x + 13 + 68/(x – 4)


2. (x3 – 2x + 1) / (x + 1) 2. x2 – x – 1 + 2/(x + 1)
3. (x3 – 2x + 1) / (x – 1) 3. x2 + x – 1
4. (2x4 + 2x3 – 12x2 + x + 6) / (x + 3) 4. 2x3 – 4x2+ 1 + 3/(x + 3)
5. (x3 – 5x2 – 13x – 1) / (x – 7) 5. x2 + 2x + 1 + 6/(x – 7)
6. (x3 – 1) / (x – 1) 6. x2 + x + 1
7. (x5 + 5x2 + x + 2) / (x + 1) 7. x4 – x3 + x2 + 4x – 3 + 5/(x +1)
8. (x4 + x2) / (x – 2) 8. x3 + 2x2 + 5x + 10 + 20/(x – 2)
9. (x2 + 7x + 13) / (x + 4) 9. x + 3 + 1 /(x + 4)

You might also like