Five-Minute Check (over Lesson 2-3)

Then/Now
New Vocabulary
Key Concept: Rational Zero Theorem
Example 1: Leading Coefficient Equal to 1
Example 2: Leading Coefficient not Equal to 1
Example 3: Real-World Example: Solve a Polynomial Equation
Key Concept: Upper and Lower Bound Tests
Example 4: Use the Upper and Lower Bound Tests
Key Concept: Descartes’ Rule of Signs
Example 5: Use Descartes’ Rule of Signs
Key Concept: Fundamental Theorem of Algebra
Key Concept: Linear Factorization Theorem
Example 6: Find a Polynomial Function Given Its Zeros
Key Concept: Factoring Polynomial Functions Over the Reals
Example 7: Factor and Find the Zeros of a Polynomial Function
Example 8: Find the Zeros of a Polynomial When One is Known
 Over Lesson 2-3

Divide (2x4 – 3x3 – 13x2 + 36x – 45) ÷ (2x – 5) using

long division.

A.

B.

C.
 Over Lesson 2-3

Find (x3 + 2x2 – 5x – 6) ÷ (x – 2) using synthetic

division.

A.

B. x2 + 4x + 3

C.

D. x2 – 4x + 1
 Over Lesson 2-3

Find (x4 – x3 + 2x + 5) ÷ (x + 2) using synthetic

division.

A.

B.

C.

D.
 Over Lesson 2-3

Use the Factor Theorem to determine if

(x – 2) and (x + 1) are factors of
f (x) = x4 – 2x3 – 9x2 + 32x – 28. Use the binomials
that are factors to write a factored form of f (x).
A. yes, no; f(x) = (x – 2)(x 3 – 9x + 14)

B. no, yes; f(x) = (x + 1)(x 3 – 3x 2 – 6x + 28)

C. yes, no; f(x) = (x – 2)2(x – 7)

D. yes, yes; f(x) = (x – 2)(x + 1)(x 2 + x – 8)

 Over Lesson 2-3

Find f (3) using synthetic substitution if

f (x) = x 6 – 5x 5 + 6x 4 + 4x 3 + 12x 2 + 8.

A. –2422

B. 8

C. 80

D. 224
You learned that a polynomial function of degree n can
have at most n real zeros. (Lesson 2-1)

• Find real zeros of polynomial functions.

• Find complex zeros of polynomial functions.
• Rational Zero Theorem • Conjugate Root
Theorem
• lower bound
• complex conjugates
• upper bound
• irreducible over the
• Descartes’ Rule of reals
Signs
• Fundamental Theorem
of Algebra
• Linear Factorization
Theorem
 Leading Coefficient Equal to 1

A. List all possible rational zeros of

f (x) = x3 – 3x2 – 2x + 4. Then determine which, if
any, are zeros.
Step 1 Identify possible rational zeros.
Because the leading coefficient is 1, the
possible rational zeros are the integer factors
of the constant term 4. Therefore, the possible
rational zeros are ±1, ± 2, and ± 4.
 Leading Coefficient Equal to 1

Step 2 Use direct substitution to test each possible

zero.
f(1) = (1)3 – 3(1)2 – 2(1) + 4 or 0
f(–1) = (–1)3 – 3(–1)2 – 2(–1) + 4 or 2
f(2) = (2)3 – 3(2)2 – 2(2) + 4 or –4
f(–2) = (–2)3 – 3(–2)2 – 2(–2) + 4 or –12
f(4) = (4)3 – 3(4)2 – 2(4) + 4 or 12
f(–4) = (–4)3 – 3(–4)2 – 2(–4) + 4 or –100
The only rational zero is 1.
Answer: ±1, ± 2, ± 4; 1
 Leading Coefficient Equal to 1

B. List all possible rational zeros of

f (x) = x 3 – 2x – 1. Then determine which, if any, are
zeros.
Step 1 Because the leading coefficient is 1, the
possible rational zeros are the integer factors
of the constant term –1. Therefore, the
possible rational zeros of f are 1 and –1.
 Leading Coefficient Equal to 1

Step 2 Begin by testing 1 and –1 using synthetic

substitution.
1 1 0 –2 –1
1 1 –1
1 1 –1 –2

–1 1 0 –2 –1
–1 1 1
1 –1 –1 0
 Leading Coefficient Equal to 1

Because f (–1) = 0, you can conclude that x = –1 is a

zero of f. Thus f (x) = (x + 1)(x 2 – x – 1). Because the
factor x 2 – x – 1 yields no rational zeros, we can
conclude that f has only one rational zero, x = –1.

Answer: ±1; 1
List all possible rational zeros of
f (x) = x 4 – 12x 2 – 15x – 4. Then determine which, if
any, are zeros.

A.

B.

C.

D.
 Leading Coefficient not Equal to 1

List all possible rational zeros of

f (x) = 2x 3 – 5x 2 – 28x + 15. Then determine which,
if any, are zeros.
Step 1 The leading coefficient is 2 and the constant
term is 15. Possible rational zeros:
 Leading Coefficient not Equal to 1

Step 2 By synthetic substitution, you can determine

that x = –3 is a rational zero.

Testing each subsequent possible zero on the

depressed polynomial, you can determine that x = 5
and are also rational zeros.

By the division algorithm, f (x) = (x + 3)(x – 5)(2x – 1)

so the rational zeros are x = –3, x = 5, and .
Check this result by graphing.
 Leading Coefficient not Equal to 1

Answer:
List all possible rational zeros of
f (x) = 4x 3 – 20x 2 + x – 5. Then determine which, if
any, are zeros.

A.

B.

C.

D.
 Solve a Polynomial Equation

WATER LEVEL The water level in a bucket sitting

on a patio can be modeled by f (x) = x 3 + 4x 2 – 2x + 7,
where f (x) is the height of the water in millimeters
and x is the time in days. On what day(s) will the
water reach a height of 10 millimeters?
Because f (x) represents the day when the water level,
you need to solve f (x) = 10 to determine what day the
water will reach a height of 10 millimeters.
 Solve a Polynomial Equation

f (x) = 10 Write the

equation.
x3 + 4x2 – 2x + 7= 10
Substitute x3 + 4x2 – 2x + 7
for f (x).
Apply the Rational Zeros Theorem
3 2 to this new
polynomial function, f (x) =x x+3 +4x4x–2 –2x2x– –3=3.0
Subtract 10 from each side.

Step 1 Possible rational zeros: factors of –3 = ±1, ±3.

 Solve a Polynomial Equation

Step 2 Because the number of the day cannot be

negative, check each of the positive rational
zeros using synthetic substitution. Doing so,
you can determine that x = 1 is the only
positive rational zero of f.
1 1 4 –2 –3
1 5 3
1 5 3 0
Because x = 1 is a zero of f, x = 1 is a solution of
f (x) = 0. So, it was day 1 when the water reached a
height of 10 millimeters.
Answer: day 1
PHYSICS The path of a ball is given by the
function f (x) = –4.9x 2 + 21.5 x + 40, where x is the
time in seconds and f (x) is the height above the
ground in meters. After how many seconds will the
ball reach a height of 25 meters?
A. 4 seconds, 10 seconds

B. 4 seconds

C. 5 seconds, seconds

D. 5 seconds
 Use the Upper and Lower Bound Tests

Determine an interval in which all real zeros of

f (x) = x 4 – 4x 3 – 11x 2 – 4x – 12 must lie. Explain
your reasoning using the upper and lower bound
tests. Then find all the real zeros.
Step 1 Graph f (x). From this
graph, it appears that
the real zeros of this
function lie in the interval

[–3, 7].
 Use the Upper and Lower Bound Tests

Step 2 Test a lower bound of c = –3 and an upper

bound of c = 7.
–3 1 –4 –11 –4 –12
–3 21 –30 102
1 –7 10 –34 90
Values alternate signs in
the last line, so –3 is a
7 lower
1 –4bound.
–11 –4 –12
7 21 70 462
13 10 66 450
Values are all
nonnegative in last line,
so 7 is an upper bound.
 Use the Upper and Lower Bound Tests

Step 3 Use the Rational Zero Theorem.

Possible rational zeros: Factors of
12 = ±1, ±2, ±3, ±4 , ±6, ±12 .
Because the real zeros are in the interval
[–3, 7], you can narrow this list to just –1, –2,
–3, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6. From the graph it
appears that only –2 and 6 are reasonable.
 Use the Upper and Lower Bound Tests

Begin by testing 6.
6 1 –4 –11 –4 –12
6 12 6 12
1 2 1 2 0

Now test –2 in the depressed polynomial.

–2 1 2 1 2
–2 0 –2
1 0 1 0
 Use the Upper and Lower Bound Tests

By the division algorithm, f (x) = (x – 6)(x + 2)(x 2 + 1).

Notice that the factor x 2 + 1 has no real zeros
associated with it because x 2 + 1 = 0 has no real
solutions. So f has two real solutions that are both
rational, x = –2 and x = 6. The graph of
f (x) = x 4 – 4x 3 – 11x 2 – 4x – 12 supports this
conclusion.

Answer: Upper and lower bounds may vary. Sample

answer: [–3, 7]; With synthetic division, the
values alternate signs when testing –3, and
are all nonnegative when testing 7. So, –3
is a lower bound and 7 is an upper bound.
The zeros are –2 and 6.
Determine an interval in which all real zeros of
f (x) = 2x 4 – 5x 3 – 13x 2 + 26x – 10 must lie. Then
find all the real zeros.

A. [0, 4]; 1, 2

B. [–1, 2]; 1,

C. [–3, 5]; 1,

D. [–2, 1]; 1,
 Use Descartes’ Rule of Signs

Describe the possible real zeros of

f (x) = x 4 – 3x 3 – 5x 2 + 2x + 7.
Examine the variations of sign for f (x) and for f(–x).
f (x) = x4 – 3x3 – 5x2 + 2x + 7

+ to – – to +

f(–x) = (–x)4 – 3(–x)3 – 5(–x)2 + 2(–x) + 7

= x 4 + 3x 3 – 5x 2 – 2x + 7

+ to – – to +
 Use Descartes’ Rule of Signs

The original function f (x) has two variations in sign,

while f (–x) also has two variations in sign. By
Descartes' Rule of Signs, you know that f (x) has either
2 or 0 positive real zeros and either 2 or 0 negative
real zeros.

Answer: 2 or 0 positive real zeros, 2 or 0 negative

real zeros
Describe the possible real zeros of
g (x) = –x 3 + 8x 2 – 7x + 9.

A. 3 or 1 positive real zeros, 1 negative real zero

B. 3 or 1 positive real zeros, 0 negative real zeros

C. 2 or 0 positive real zeros, 0 negative real zeros

D. 2 or 0 positive real zeros, 1 negative real zero

 Find a Polynomial Function Given Its Zeros

Write a polynomial function of least degree with

real coefficients in standard form that has –1, 2, and

2 – i as zeros.
Because 2 – i is a zero and the polynomial is to have
real coefficients, you know that 2 + i must also be a zero.
Using the Linear Factorization Theorem and the zeros
–1, 2, 2 – i, and 2 + i, you can write f (x) as follows:
f (x) = a[x – (–1)](x – 2)[x – (2 – i)](x – (2 + i)]
 Find a Polynomial Function Given Its Zeros

While a can be any nonzero real number, it is simplest to

let a = 1. Then write the function in standard form.
f (x) = (1)(x + 1)(x – 2)[x – (2 – i)][x – (2 + i)] Let a = 1.
= (x2 – x – 2)(x2 – 4x + 5) Multiply.
= x4 – 5x3 + 7x2 + 3x – 10 Multiply.
Therefore, a function of least degree that has –1, 2, and
2 – i as zeros is f (x) = x4 – 5x3 + 7x2 + 3x – 10 or any
nonzero multiple of f (x).

Answer: Sample answer: f (x) = x4 – 5x3 + 7x2 + 3x – 10

Write a polynomial function of least degree with
real coefficients in standard form that has
–2 (multiplicity 2), 0, and 3i as zeros.

A. f (x) = x 5 + 4x 4 + 13x 3 + 36x 2 + 36x

B. f (x) = x 5 + 4x 4 + 9x 3 + 18x

C. f (x) = x 3 + 2x 2 – 3ix 2 – 6xi

D. f (x) = x 4 + 4x 3 – 5x 2 – 36x – 36
 Factor and Find the Zeros of a Polynomial
Function
A. Consider k (x) = x5 + x4 – 13x3 – 23x2 – 14x – 24.
Write k (x) as the product of linear and irreducible
quadratic factors.
The possible rational zeros are ±1, ±2, ±3, ±4, ±6, ±8,
±12, ±24. The original polynomial has 1 sign variation.
k (–x) = (–x)5 + (–x)4 – 13(–x)3 – 23(–x)2 – 14(–x) – 24
= –x 5 + x 4 + 13x 3 – 23x 2 + 14x – 24
k(–x) has 4 sign variations, so k (x) has 1 positive real
zero and 4, 2, or 0 negative real zeros.
 Factor and Find the Zeros of a Polynomial
Function

The graph shown suggests 4 as one real zero of k (x).

Use synthetic substitution to test this possibility.
 Factor and Find the Zeros of a Polynomial
Function
4 1 1 –13 –23 –14 –24
4 20 28 20 24
1 5 7 5 6 0

Because k (x) has only 1 positive real zero, you do not

need to test any other possible positive rational zeros.
The graph suggests that –2 and –3 are negative real
zeros. Test these possibilities successively in the
depressed quartic and then cubic polynomials.
 Factor and Find the Zeros of a Polynomial
Function
–2 1 5 7 5 6 Begin by testing –2.
–2 –6 –2 –6
1 3 1 3 0
–3 1 3 1 3 Now test –3 in the
depressed polynomial.
–3 0 –3
1 0 1 0
The remaining quadratic factor (x 2 + 1) yields no real
zeros and is therefore irreducible over the reals. So, k (x)
written as a product of linear and irreducible quadratic
factors is k (x) = (x – 4)(x + 2)(x + 3)(x 2 + 1).
 Factor and Find the Zeros of a Polynomial
Function
Answer: k (x) = (x – 4)(x + 2)(x + 3)(x2 + 1)
 Factor and Find the Zeros of a Polynomial
Function
B. Consider k (x) = x5 + x4 – 13x3 – 23x2 – 14x – 24.
Write k (x) as the product of linear factors.

You can factor x 2 + 1 by writing the expression first as

a difference of squares or x 2 – i 2. Then
factor this difference of squares as (x – i)(x + i). So,
k (x) written as a product of linear factors is
k (x) = (x – 4)(x + 2)(x + 3)(x + i)(x – i).

Answer: k (x) = (x – 4)(x + 2)(x + 3)(x + i)(x – i)

 Factor and Find the Zeros of a Polynomial
Function
C. Consider k (x) = x 5 + x 4 – 13x 3 – 23x 2 – 14x – 24.
List all the zeros of k (x).

Because the function has degree 5, by the corollary to

the Fundamental Theorem of Algebra k (x) has exactly
five zeros, including any that may be repeated. The
linear factorization gives us these five zeros:
4, –2, –3, –i, and i.

Answer: 4, –2, –3, –i, i

Write k (x) = x 4 – 4x 3 + 4x 2 + 4x – 5 as the product
of linear factors.

A. (x + 1)(x – 1)(x + (2 – i))(x + (2 + i))

B. (x + 1)(x – 1)(x 2 – 4x + 5)

C. (x + 1)(x – 1)(x – (2 + i))(x – (2 – i))

D. (x + 1)(x – 1)(x + 5)
 Find the Zeros of a Polynomial When One is
Known
Find all complex zeros of
p (x) = x 4 – 6x 3 + 35x 2 – 50x – 58 given that x = 2 + 5i
is a zero of p. Then write the linear factorization of
p (x).
Use synthetic substitution to verify that 2 + 5i is a zero
of p (x).
2 + 5i 1 –6 35 –50 –58 (2 + 5i)(–4 + 5i)
= –8 – 10i + 25i 2
2 + 5i –33 – 10i = –8 – 10i + 25(–1)
1 –4 + 5i = –33 – 10i
 Find the Zeros of a Polynomial When One is
Known
2 + 5i 1 –6 35 –50 –58 (2 + 5i)(2 – 10i)
= 4 – 10i – 50i2

2 + 5i –33 – 10i 54 – 10i = 4 – 10i – 50(–1)

1 –4 + 5i 2 – 10i = 54 – 10i

2 + 5i 1 –6 35 –50 –58 (2 + 5i)(4 – 10i)

= 8 – 50i 2

2 + 5i –33 – 10i 54 – 10i 58 = 8 – 50(–1)

1 –4 + 5i 2 – 10i 4 – 10i 0 = 58
 Find the Zeros of a Polynomial When One is
Known
Because x = 2 + 5i is a zero of p, you know that
x = 2 – 5i is also a zero of p. Divide the depressed
polynomial by 2 – 5i.
2 – 5i 1 –4 + 5i 2 – 10i 4 – 10i
2 – 5i –4 + 10i –4 + 10i
1 –2 –2 0

Using these two zeros and the depressed polynomial

from this last division, you can write
p (x) = [x – (2 + 5i)][x – (2 – 5i)](x 2 – 2x – 2).
 Find the Zeros of a Polynomial When One is
Known
Because p (x) is a quartic polynomial, you know that it
has exactly 4 zeros. Having found 2, you know that 2
more remain. Solve the remaining depressed
polynomial, x 2 – 2x – 2, using the Quadratic Formula.
Quadratic Formula

a = 1, b = –2, and c = –2

Simplify.

Simplify.
 Find the Zeros of a Polynomial When One is
Known
Therefore, the four zeros of p are 2 + 5i, 2 – 5i,
. The linear factorization of p is
p (x) = [x – (2 + 5i)](x – (2 – 5i)][x – ( )][x – ( )].
Using the graph of p, you can verify that the function has
two real zeros at or 2.73 and at
or –0.73.
 Find the Zeros of a Polynomial When One is
Known
Answer: 2 + 5i, 2 – 5i, , ;
p(x) = [x – (2 + 5i)][x – (2 – 5i)][x – (1 + )]
●
[x – (1 – )]
Find all complex zeros of h(x) = x 4 + x 3 – 3x 2 + 9x – 108
given that x = –3i is a zero of h.

A. 3i, –3i

B. 3i, 4, –3

C. 3i, –3i, 4, –3

D. 3i, –3i, –4, 3