Dividing Polynomials

Long Division
• If f(x) and g(x) are two polynomials and g(x) is a factor of f(x) , then
f(x) is divisible by g(x) .
• For example, x4 – 16 is divisible by…
x2 + 4 , x + 2 , and x – 2 .

• However, x4 – 16 is not divisible by

x2 + 3x + 1 , but we can use long division to find a quotient and remainder,
as shown on the next slide.
• The long division process ends when we arrive at a polynomial (the
remainder) that either…
– is 0
– or has a smaller degree than the divisor.
 Example: Long Division
• Divide: x 2  5 x  20
x3 x3  2 x 2  5x  4
x3  3x 2
5 x 2  5 x
5 x 2  15 x
20 x  4
20 x  60
64  remainder
Example: Long Division
 Long Division (cont’d)

• The result of the preceding long division can

be written
x  16

21x  24

4
  x  3x  8   2
2
.
x  3x  1
2
x  3x  1
• Multiplying both sides by x2 + 3x + 1 gives

x  16   x  3x  1  x  3x  8    21x  24  .
4 2 2
 Division Algorithm
• This example illustrates the following
theorem:

• Here is an important special case:

Example: Remainder Theorem
 Factor Theorem

• This is a consequence of the remainder

theorem:

• Here are two examples:

Factor Theorem (cont’d)
 Synthetic Division
• Dividing a polynomial simply by x – c can be
done using long division, but synthetic division
is often easier.
• Here are guidelines for synthetic division of
anxn + an-1xn-1 + ··· + a1x + a0

by x – c , together with examples:

Synthetic Division (cont’d)
Synthetic Division (cont’d)
Example
 Exercise
Use synthetic division to find the quotient and remainder if

 4 x 5
 x 4
 6 x 3
 2 x 2
 50   ( x  2)

Note: We must write a 0

2 –4 1 6 2 0 50 for the missing term.

–8 –14 –16 –28 –56

–4 –7 –8 –14 –28 –6

The quotient is – 4x4 – 7x3 – 8x2 – 14x – 28

and the remainder is –6.
Example