Exam 2

Math 118
Problem 1. Do the following:
a) True or False?
(a) No cubic equation can have a root of multiplicity 4.
(b) The degree of the polynomial 6(x2 + x + 1)(x 1)2 (x 2) is 6.
(c) According to the location theorem, if f (x)is a polynomial and f (a) and f (b) have
the same sign, then the equation f (x) = 0 has at least one root between a and b.
(d) The product of the roots of 3x5 + 2x3 + 1 = 0 is 1.
(e) The sum of the roots of x2 12x + 16 = 0 is 12.
b) Calculate the following values:
5

(a) 16 4
(b) log8 16
(c) log81 27
3

(d) 9 2
(e) loga2 a3

Problem 2. Suppose the function p = 61 x + 80 (0 x 400) relates the selling price p

of an item to the quantity x that is sold. Assume that p is in dollars. What is the maximum
revenue possible in this situation? Which price p generates this maximum revenue?

Problem 3. Let P = (x, y) be a point [other than (1, 1)] on the graph of f (x) = x3 .
Express the slope of the line passing through P and (1, 1) as a function of x. Simplify
your answer as much as possible.

Problem 4. Use synthetic division to solve the following:

a) Verify that 2 1 is a root of the equation x6 + 14x3 1 = 0.

b) Use the remainder theorem to calculate f ( 12 ) given f (x) = 6x4 5x3 + 7x2 2x 2.
c) Use the remainder theorem to calculate g(a 1) given g(x) = x3 + 3x2 + 3x + 1.
d) Solve the equation x3 + x2 11x 15 = 0 given that one of the roots is 3.
e) The equation x3 2x2 1 = 0 has just one positive root. Use the upper and lower
bound theorem to determine the smallest integer that is an upper bound for the root.

Problem 5. Consider the equation x4 x3 + 24 = 0.

a) List the possiblities for rational roots.
b) Use the upper and lower bound theorem to show 2 is an upper bound for the roots.
c) In view of parts a and b, what possibilities now remain for positive rational roots?
d) Which (if any) of the possibilities in c are actually roots?

Problem 6. Let p(x) = x4 + 2x3 x + 6 and d(x) = x2 + 1. Find polynomials q(x) and
R(x) such that p(x) = d(x) q(x) + R(x).

Problem 7. Determine the partial fraction decomposition for each expression.

a)
3x 1
x3 16x
b)
1
+ 3x 3
Hint: Use the rational roots theorem to factor the denominator
x3

x2

c)
4x2 15x + 20
x3 4x2 + 4x

Problem 8. Solve the equation for x. When logarithms appear in your answer that cant
be reduced express the answer in terms of the natural log.
a) (ln x)4 = ln x4
b) log10 x 2 = log10 (x 2)
c) x3 ex 4xex = 0

Problem 9. Simplify the expression.

q p

7
3
a) log2 16 2 2
b) log12 2 + log12 18 + log12 4
c) log10 log10 10

Problem 10. One useful thing about logarithms is that they can be used to give information about the number of digits in a number. Generally speaking, the number of digits of a
natural number n is given by the following expression: Dig(n) = dlog10 ne, where dxe is the
least integer greater than x. Caution:daxe =
6 adxe and dx + ye =
6 dxe + dye.
For example, Dig(256, 734) = dlog10 256, 734e d5.4e = 6.

a) Calculate Dig(25673411 ).
b) Calculate upper and lower bounds for Dig(2300 ) that differ by no more than 25.
c) Which number is larger: 2900 or 9200 ?

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Extra Credit 5 pts. Knuth Arrow Notation gives us a way of generalizing exponents.
Consider the following:
a b = ab = a
{z a}
|a
b copies of a

a b = b a =

..

.a

a
= a (a (. . . a))
|a {z }
{z
}
|
b copies of a
b copies of a

a b = a (a (. . . a))
|
{z
}
b copies of a

Using this notation, rewrite loga (a b) and loga (a b) without logarithms.

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