A26

MATHEMATICS
SUPPORT CENTRE

Title: Remainder Theorem and Factor Theorem

Target: On completion of this worksheet you should be able to use the remainder
and factor theorems to find factors of polynomials.

Generally when a polynomial is divided by a linear Examples

expression there is a remainder. 1. Using previous example
e.g. (3 x 3 + 4 x 2 − 5 x + 3) ÷ ( x + 2) f ( x) = 3x 3 + 4 x 2 − 5x + 3
3x 2 − 2 x − 1 = ( x + 2)(3 x 2 − 2 x − 1) + 5
x + 2 3x 3 + 4 x 2 − 5 x + 3 Now using x = -2
f (−2) = (−2 + 2)(3 × (−2) 2 − 2 × (−2) − 1) + 5
3x 3 + 6 x 2
= 0 × (3 × (−2) 2 − 2 × (−2) − 1) + 5
− 2 x 2 − 5x
=5
− 2x 2 − 4 x i.e. the remainder.
− x+3
− x−2 2. Find the remainder when
(2 x 3 − 5 x 2 + x − 3) is divided by ( x − 1)
5
Let f ( x) = 2 x 3 − 5 x 2 + x − 3
(3 x 3 + 4 x 2 − 5 x + 3) = ( x + 2)(3x 2 − 2 x − 1) + 5
Substitute x = 1 since we require ( x − 1) = 0
f (1) = 2 × 13 − 5 × 12 + 1 − 3 = −5
divisor quotient remainder The remainder is –5

3. Find the remainder when

Any polynomial can be written in the following
( x 4 + 4 x 2 + 3 x − 7) is divided by ( x + 3)
form:
polynomial ≡ divisor × quotient + remainder. Let f ( x) = x 4 + 4 x 2 + 3 x − 7
Substitute x = −3 since we require ( x + 3) = 0
In particular if the divisor is (x – a) and the
f (−3) = (−3) 4 + 4 × (−3) 2 + 3 × (−3) − 7 = 101
polynomial is f (x) then
The remainder is 101
f (x) ≡ (x – a) × quotient + remainder.
Exercise
If x = a then Find the remainders for the following:
f (a) = (a – a) × quotient + remainder. 1. ( x 3 − 5 x 2 + 6 x − 4) ÷ ( x − 2)
f (a) = remainder 2. (4 x 3 + 3x 2 + x + 2) ÷ ( x − 1)

This gives an easy way of finding the remainder

3. (2 x 4 − x 3 + 3 x 2 − 1) ÷ ( x + 1)
when a polynomial is divided by (x – a) 4. (2 x 3 − 6 x − 5) ÷ ( x + 3)
5. ( x 3 − 4 x 2 − x ) ÷ ( x − 4)
(Answers: -4, 10, 5, -29, -4)

Mathematics Support Centre,Coventry University, 2001

Example We can use the factor theorem to factorise
Find the remainder when polynomials, although some trial and error is
(3 x 3 + 4 x 2 − 5 x − 2) is divided by ( x − 1) involved.

Let f ( x) = 3 x 3 + 4 x 2 − 5 x − 2 and x = 1
Example
f (1) = 3 × 13 + 4 × 12 − 5 × 1 − 2 = 0
Factorise ( 2 x + 5 x − x − 6) .
3 2
The remainder is 0.
3 x 3 + 4 x 2 − 5 x − 2 = ( x − 1) × quotient + 0
Let f ( x) = 2 x + 5 x − x − 6 . Since the
3 2

= ( x − 1) × quotient
constant is –6 we will consider factors of this
so ( x − 1) is a factor of (3 x + 4 x − 5 x − 2)
3 2
ie. ± 1, ± 2, ± 3, ± 6. We will try ( x − 1)
f (1) = 2 × 13 + 5 × 12 − 1 − 6 = 0
We can use the remainder theorem to check for
so ( x − 1) is a factor.
factors of a polynomial.
As before Now we can find the quadratic factor by division
f ( x) = ( x − a) × quotient + remainder or by repeating the above.

and f (a) = remainder 2x 2 + 7 x + 6

If ( x − a ) is a factor then the remainder is 0 ( x − 1) 2 x 3 + 5 x 2 − x − 6
ie f ( a) = 0 2x3 − 2x 2
This is called the factor theorem.
7x2 − x
7x2 − 7x
Examples
6x − 6
1. Is ( x − 3) a factor of ( 2 x − 3 x − 8 x − 3) ?
3 2

6x − 6
Let f ( x) = ( 2 x − 3 x − 8 x − 3) and x = 3
3 2 0
as we are checking whether ( x − 3) is a factor. f ( x) = 2 x 3 + 5 x 2 − x − 6
f (3) = 2 × 33 − 3 × 3 2 − 8 × 3 − 3 = 0 = ( x − 1)(2 x 2 + 7 x + 6)
so ( x − 3) is a factor of ( 2 x − 3 x − 8 x − 3) = ( x − 1)( x + 2)(2 x + 3)
3 2

The quadratic factor is factorised in the normal

2. Is ( x − 1) a factor of ( 2 x − 3 x − 8 x − 3) ?
3 2 way.

Using f(x) as above and x = 1 Exercise

f (1) = 2 × 1 − 3 × 1 − 8 × 1 − 3 = −12 ≠ 0
3 2 Factorise the following:
so ( x − 1) is not a factor of ( 2 x − 3 x − 8 x − 3)
3 2 1. f ( x ) = x 3 + 2 x 2 − 5 x − 6
2. f ( x) = 2 x 3 + x 2 − 2 x − 1
Exercise
3. f ( x ) = x 3 − 3x 2 − 3 x − 4
1. Is ( x − 1) a factor of
4. f ( x) = 3 x 3 + 6 x 2 + x + 2
f ( x ) = ( x + 2 x − 2 x − 1) ?
3 2

5. f ( x ) = 4 x 3 − 15 x 2 + 17 x − 6
2. Is ( x + 2) a factor of f ( x ) = (4 x + 13 x + 10) ?
2

3. Is ( x − 2) a factor of f ( x) = (4 x 2 + 13 x + 10) ?
4. Is ( x + 3) a factor of Answers:
1. ( x + 1)( x − 2)( x + 3)
f ( x ) = (3 x 3 + 10 x 2 + x − 6) ?
2. ( x + 1)( x − 1)(2 x + 1)
5. Is ( x − 1) a factor of
3. ( x − 4)( x 2 + x + 1)
f ( x ) = (3 x 3 + 10 x 2 + x − 6) ?
4. ( x + 2)(3x 2 + 1)
(Answers: yes, yes, no, yes, no) 5. ( x − 1)( x − 2)(4 x − 3)

Mathematics Support Centre,Coventry University, 2001