Ly Ba Hoang - 1695172 MTH 1114 Homeworks

Section 2.5
Homeworks in section 2.5 include 15, 25, 29, 37,41, 43, 49, 53, 55, 61, 69, 83, 103.

15. In Exercises 15, use the Rational Zero Test to list the possible rational zeros of f . Verify that the
zeros of f shown in the graph are contained in the list.
f (x) = x3 + 2x2 − x − 2

y
6

2
x
−1 1

−4

Solution
p
Every rational zero of f has the form , in which p is a factor of −2, and q is a factor of 1. Thus, we have
q

p ∈ {−2, 2, −1, 1} and q ∈ {−1, 1}

The list of possible rational zero of f as follows:

p
∈ {−2, 2, −1, 1}
q

From the graph of the function f , there are three real zeros: −2, −1, 1. These three number are all in the list
{−2, 2, −1, 1}.

25. In exercise 25, find (if possible) the rational zeros of the function: C(x) = 2x3 + 3x2 − 1

Solution
p
The possible rational zeros of the function C has the form of , where
q

• p is a factor of −1 or p ∈ {−1, 1}

• q is a factor of 2 or q ∈ {−2, 2, −1, 1}

1 1
Thus, the list of possible rational zeros of the function C is {− , , −1, 1}.
2 2

29. In Exercises 29, find all real solutions of the polynomial equation: −5x3 + 11x2 − 4x − 2 = 0

Solution

Apply the Rational Zero test, the list of possible rational zeros is

1 2
Possible rational zeros: ±1, ±2, ± , ±
5 5

21
Ly Ba Hoang - 1695172 MTH 1114 Homeworks

There is only one real zero of the polynomial in the possible rational zeros, which is x = 1. Using synthetic
division for x − 1, we have

−5x3 + 11x2 − 4x − 2 = (x − 1)(−5x2 + 6x + 2)

Find other roots of the polynomial by solving the equation −5x2 + 6x + 2 = 0.

∆ = b2 − 4ac = 62 − 4(−5)(2) = 76 > 0

 √ √ √
−b − ∆ −6 − 76 3 + 19
 x= = =
⇒ 2a√ −10√ 5√
 −b + ∆ −6 + 76 3 − 19
x= = =
2a −10 5
√ √
3 + 19 3 − 19
The two other real zeros of the polynomial are: and .
√5 √5
3 + 19 3 − 19
Thus, the polynomial has three real zeros: 1, and .
5 5

37. In Exercises 37, f (x) = −2x4 + 13x3 − 21x2 + 2x + 8 (a) list the possible rational zeros of f, (b) use
a graphing utility to graph f so that some of the possible zeros in part (a) can be disregarded, and then
(c) determine all real zeros of f.

Solution

(a) The possible rational zeros of f has the form of

a factor of 8 ±8, ±4, ±2, ±1 1

Possible rational zeros = = = ±4, ±8, ±2, ±1, ±
a factor of − 2 ±2, ±1 2

(b) The graph of f is shown below:

20 y

10

−0.5 x
−2 1 2 4

−10

(c) Since the degree of the function is 4, the function has at most 4 real zeros, which are, as shown in the
graph, −0.5, 1, 2, 4.

In Exercises 41, 43, find a polynomial function with real coefficients that has the given zeros. (There are
many correct answers.)
41. 1, 5i 43. 2, 2, 1 + i

Solution

22
Ly Ba Hoang - 1695172 MTH 1114 Homeworks

41. Because 5i is a zeros of the function, −5i is also a zero of the function. Therefore, the polynomial function
has 3 zeros: 1, 5i, −5i. A polynomial function that has these three zeros is

f (x) = (x − 1)(x − 5i)(x + 5i)

= (x − 1)(x2 + 25)
= x3 − x2 + 25x − 25

43. Because 1 + i is a zero of the function, 1 − i is also a zero of the function. Therefore, the polynomial
function has four zeros: 2, 2, 1+i, 1−i, in which 2 is a zero multiplicity of 2 of the function. A polynomial
function that has these four zeros is

f (x) = (x − 2)2 (x − 1 + i)(x − 1 − i)

= (x2 − 4x + 4)[(x − 1)2 + 1]
= (x2 − 4x + 4)(x2 − 2x + 2)
= x4 − 2x3 + 2x2 − 4x3 + 8x2 − 8x + 4x2 − 8x + 8
= x4 − 6x3 + 14x2 − 16x + 8

49. In Exercise
√ 49, find the polynomial function f with real coefficients that has the 3th degree, zeros:
−3, 1 + i 3, and solution point f (−2) = 12.

Solution

Because the degree of the√polynomial function is 3, the polynomial function has three zeros. We have been
given two zeros: −3, 1 + i 3, so there still exists one more zero.
√ √
Since f is a polynomial function with real coefficients, and 1 + i 3 is a zero of the function, 1 − i 3 is also a
zero of the function.
Thus, we have
√ √
f (x) = a(x + 3)(x − 1 − i 3)(x − 1 + i 3)
√
= a(x + 3)([(x − 1)2 − (i 3)2 ]
= a(x + 3)(x2 − 2x + 4)
= a(x3 − 2x2 + 4x + 3x2 − 6x + 12)
= a(x3 + x2 − 2x + 12)

To find the value of a, use the fact that f (−2) = 12. That is

a[(−2)3 + (−2)2 − 2(−2) + 12] = 12

⇒ a(−8 + 4 + 4 + 12) = 12
⇒a=1

Thus, the polynomial function is f (x) = x3 + x2 − 2x + 12

53. In Exercise 53, write the polynomial (a) as the product of factors that are irreducible over the ra-
tionals, (b) as the product of linear and quadratic factors that are irreducible over the reals, and (c) in
completely factored form.
f (x) = x4 − 2x3 − 3x2 + 12x − 18

Solution

23
Ly Ba Hoang - 1695172 MTH 1114 Homeworks

(a) A factor that is irreducible over the rationals is a factor with no rational zeros. The possible rational zeros
of f are: ±18, ±9, ±6, ±3, ±2, ±1. However, the function f does not take any of these possible rational
zeros as one of its zero.
Because of the hint, x2 − 6 is a factor of f (x). Using the long division, we can find the other factor of
f (x), which is
x2 − 2x + 3
.
Thus, the polynomial in this case is
√ √
f (x) = (x − 6)(x + 6)(x2 − 2x + 3)

The factor x2 − 2x + 3 has the ∆ = −8, thus it has no real zeros. That means the factor is irreducible
over reals (and therefore over the rationals).

(b) A factor that is irreducible over the reals is a factor with no real zeros. We have two factors of f (x):
x2 − 6 and x2 − 2x + 3. These two factor are still irreducible over the reals, so they are not satisfied.
We have
√ √
x2 − 6 = x2 − (−6i2 ) = (x − i −6)(x + i −6)

Thus, the polynomial is written as

√ √
f (x) = (x − i −6)(x + i −6)(x2 − 2x + 3)

(c) The factor x2 − 2x + 3 is irreducible over the reals, but it is reducible over the complex number. That is
√ √
x2 − 2x + 3 = (x − 1 − i 2)(x − 1 + i 2)

Thus, the polynomial is written as

√ √ √ √
f (x) = (x − i −6)(x + i −6)(x − 1 − i 2)(x − 1 + i 2)

55. In Exercise 55, use the given zero to find all the zeros of the function f (x) = x3 − x2 + 4x − 4, zero:
2i.

Solution

Since 2i is a zero of the function, −2i is also a zero of the function. Thus, one factor of the function is

(x − 2i)(x + 2i) = x2 + 4

Using the long division to find the other factor of the function, it is x − 1. Therefore, the final zero of the
function is 1.
Thus, all the zeros of the function are 1, 2i, and −2i.

In Exercises 61 and 69, write the polynomial as the product of linear factors and list all the zeros of the
function.
61. f (x) = x2 + 36 69. g(x) = x3 − 3x2 + x + 5

Solution

24
Ly Ba Hoang - 1695172 MTH 1114 Homeworks

61. We have f (x) = x2 + 36 = x2 − 36i2 = x2 − (6i)2 = (x − 6i)(x + 6i)

69. The possible rational zeros of the function g are ±5, ±1. Thus, x = −1 is a zero of the function, or x + 1
is a factor of the function.
Using synthetic division for the function g and x+1, we can find the other factor of g, which is x2 −4x+5.
Consider the factor x2 − 4x + 5. We have
√
−4 4−

 x= =2−i
2 2
∆ = b − 4ac = (−4) − 4(5) = −4 < 0 ⇒  2√
4 + −4
x= =2+i
2

Thus, the polynomial is written as the product of linear factors:

g(x) = (x + 1)(x − 2 + i)(x − 2 − i)

83. In Exercise 83, use Descartes’s Rule of Signs to determine the possible numbers of positive and
negative real zeros of the function g(x) = 6x4 + 2x3 − 3x2 + 2

Solution

The original polynomial has two variations in sign. Thus, the function g has either two positive real zeros or
has no positive real zero.
The polynomial f (−x) = 6x4 − 2x3 − 3x2 + 2 has two variations in sign, so the function g has either two
negative real zeros or has no negative real zeros.

103. You want to make an open box from a rectangular piece of material, 15 centimeters by 9 centime-
ters, by cutting equal squares from the corners and turning up the sides.

(a) Let x represent the side length of each of the squares removed. Draw a diagram showing the squares
removed from the original piece of material and the resulting dimensions of the open box.

(b) Use the diagram to write the volume V of the box as a function of x. Determine the domain of the
function.

(c) Sketch the graph of the function and approximate the dimensions of the box that yield a maximum
volume.

(d) Find values of x such that V = 56. Which of these values is a physical impossibility in the construc-
tion of the box? Explain.

Solution

(a) The diagram showing the squares removed from the original piece of material:

25
Ly Ba Hoang - 1695172 MTH 1114 Homeworks

x x

x x x x

x x

x x

x x x x

x x

The diagram show the dimensions of the open box:

h=x
l = 15 − 2x

w = 9 − 2x

(b) The volume V of the box as a function of x is

f (x) = l · w · h = (15 − 2x)(9 − 2x)x = 4x3 − 48x2 + 135x

The domain of the function is D = (0, 4.5).

(c) The graph of the function:

26
Ly Ba Hoang - 1695172 MTH 1114 Homeworks

120 Vmax
V
100

80

60

40

20
x
1 2 3 4 5

From the graph of the function, the dimensions of the approximated maximum volume of the box are
h = 1.80 cm, l = 11.4 cm, w = 5.40 cm.

(d) The values of x such that V = 56 are the roots of the equation:

4x3 − 48x2 + 135x = 56 ⇔ 4x3 − 48x2 + 135x − 56 = 0 (1)

7 1 7
The possible rational zeros of (1) are ±56, ±28, ±14, ±7, ±8, ±4, ±2, ±1, ± , ± , ± . After testing,
2 2 4
1 7
the zeros of the function (1) are 8, , .
2 2
The value x = 8 is impossible because it is out of the domain.

27