CHAPTER 6: POLYNOMIALS

TUTORIAL
POLYNOMIALS

1. Find the quotient and remainder by using long division process when

a) x 3  2 x 2  6 x  5 is divided by x  3

b) 4 x 3  3 x 2  2 x  4 is divided by x 2  x  1
c) 3 x 3  2 x 2  5 is divided by x 2  2
2. Determine if ( x  1) is a factor of P( x)  12 x 3  22 x 2  2 x  8
3. Given that ( x  2) is a factor of 2 x 3  ax 2  5 x  6 , then
a) Find the value of a
b) Factorise the expression completely
4. Find the value of r if P( x)  2 x 3  9 x 2  3x  r leaves a remainder -54 when divided by
( x  2)

5. Factorise P ( x)  x 3  3x 2  x  3 and hence solve the equation P ( x)  0

6. Find the values of the constants p, q and r for which
 x  1 x  2  x  p   qx 3  7 x 2  14 x  r . Hence, solve the equation qx 3  7 x 2  14 x  r  0

.
7. Express the following in partial fractions

(a) 7 x  12 (c) 2x  1
( x  1)( x  2) ( x  1) 2 ( x  1)

x4 x 1
(b) (d)
( x  5)(2 x 2  1) x3 1
8. Find all the roots of the equation 2 x 3  3x 2  8 x  3  0 . Hence, express

5  2x
in partial fractions
2 x  3x 2  8 x  3
3

9. Polynomial P ( x ) is defined by P( x)  x 3  4 x 2  7 x  10.

(a) Using long division, show that ( x  2) is a factor of P ( x )
(b) Find all the zeroes of P ( x )
(c) Find the remainder when P ( x ) is divided by ( x  3).

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Hence, express P ( x ) in the form of ( x  3)Q( x )  R ( x) when Q( x ) is the quotient and

R ( x ) is the remainder

10. Given that P ( x)  2 x 3  x 2  5 x  2

(a) If ( x  a ) is a factor of P ( x ) where a is a positive integer, find the value of a
(b) Obtain the roots of the equation P ( x)  0
20 x 2  10
(c) Express in partial fractions
( x  1) P( x)

PAST YEAR EXAMINATION QUESTIONS

2004/2005
11. Given ( x  3) is one factor of P ( x)  9  12 x  11 x 2  2 x 3 . Factorise P ( x ) completely,

13 x  18
and express as a sum of partial fractions [8 marks]
P ( x)

12. A polynomial has the form P( x)  2 x 3  3x 2  px  q , with x real and p, q constants.

(a) When P ( x ) is divided by ( x  1) the remainder is ( 2  4 x) . Find the values of
p and q, and factorise P ( x ) completely if 2 is one of the roots [7 marks]

2005/2006
13. (a) Polynomial P( x)  2 x 3  ax 2  x  b has ( x  1) as a factor and leaves a remainder
12 when divided by ( x  3) . Determine the values of a and b . [6
marks]

14. Two factors of the polynomial P ( x )  x 3  ax 2  bx  6 are ( x  1) and ( x  2) .

Determine the values of a and b and find the third factor of the polynomial. Hence,

2 x 2  5 x  13
express as a sum of partial fractions [13 marks]
P ( x)

2006/2007

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 CHAPTER 6: POLYNOMIALS

4 x 3  3x 2  6 x  27
15. Find the values of A, B, C and D for the expression in the form of
x 4  9x 2

A B Cx  D
partial fractions   where A, B, C and D are constants [5 marks]
x x2 x2  9
16. Show that ( x  3) is a factor of the polynomial P ( x)  x 3  2 x 2  5 x  6 . Hence,
factorise
P ( x ) completely [4 marks]

2007/2008
2x  1
17. Express in partial fractions [6 marks]
( x  2)( x 2  2 x  4)

18. (a) Find a cubic polynomial Q ( x)  ( x  a )( x  b)( x  c) satisfying the following

conditions : the coefficient of x 3 is 1, Q(-1) = 0 , Q(2) = 0 and Q(3) = -8
[4 marks]
(b) A polynomial P( x)  ax 3  4 x 2  bx  18 has a factor ( x  2) and a remainder
( 2 x  18) when divided by ( x  1) . Find the value of a and b. Hence, factorise
P ( x ) completely [8 marks]

2008/2009
5 x 2  3x  8
19. Express in partial fractions [5 marks]
(1  x 2 )(1  x )

2009/2010
20. Given a polynomial P ( x)  2 x 3  ax 2  bx  30 has factors ( x  2) and ( x  5) .
(a) Find the value of the constants a and b. [6 marks]
(b) Factorize P ( x ) completely. [3 marks]

2010/2011
21. Dividing M ( x)  x 2  ax  b by ( x  1) and ( x  1) give a remainder of -12 and -16
respectively. Determine the values of a and b. [6 marks]

22. By using the partial fraction method, show that

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 CHAPTER 6: POLYNOMIALS

1 1 1 1 
   
x 4 4 x2 x2
2

2011/2012
23. The polynomial p ( x)  x 3  2 x 2  ax  b, where a and b are constants, has a factor of
( x  2) and leaves a remainder of a 3 when it is divided by ( x  a ).

(a) Find the values of a and b. [6 marks]

(b) Factorize p ( x) completely by using the values of a and b obtained from part
(a ). Hence, find the real roots of p ( x )  0, where a and b are not equal to zero.
[6 marks]
24. When 3 x 3  px 2  qx  3 is divided by x 2  x  2 , the remainder is 8 x  1 .
By using the Remainder Theorem, find the values of p and q . Hence, obtain the
quotient. [7 marks]

2012/2013
25. Given that ax  b is a remainder when polynomial 2 x 3  5 x 2  28 x  15 is divided by
x 2  1 . By using the remainder theorem find the value of a and b. [9
marks]

4
26. Express
 x  1  x 2  9 in the form of partial fractions. [8 Marks]

SUGGESTED ANSWERS
POLYNOMIALS

1. (a) Q( x)  x 2  x  3, R( x)  4

(b) Q( x)  4 x  7, R ( x )  5 x  11

(c) Q ( x)  3 x  2, R ( x )  6 x  9

2. ( x  1) is a factor of P(x)

3. (a) a  3 (b) f ( x)   x  2 2 x  3 x  1

4. r = -40
5. x  1 , x  1 , x  3
6. p  4, q  1, r  8 x  1,2,4

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5 2 1 3 1
7. (a)  (c)  
x 1 x  2 4( x  1) 2( x  1) 2 4( x  1)

(b) 3 6 x  13 (d) 2 2x  1
 
17( x  5) 17(2 x 2  1) 
3( x  1) 3 x 2  x  1 
1 5  2x 7 24 1
8. x  1,  ,3   
2  x  1 2 x  1 x  3 4 x  1 7 2 x  1 28 x  3

9. (a) ( x  2) is a factor of P(x)

(b) -2, 1, 5
(c) R( x)  20, P( x)  ( x  3)( x 2  x  10)  20
1 10 10 2 24
10. (a) 2 (b) 2, ,1 (c)   
2 x  1 ( x  1) 2 x  2 2 x  1

2 1 3
11. P ( x)  ( x  3) 2 (1  2 x )  
1  2x x  3 ( x  3) 2

12. (a) p  3, q  2, P ( x)  ( x  2)( 2 x  1)( x  1)

13. (a) a = -5, b = 6

1 1 2
14. a = 2, b = -5, ( x  3)  
x 1 x  2 x3
2 10
15. A , B  3, C  ,D  0
3 3
16. (a) ( x  1)( x  2)( x  3)
1 x4
17.  
4( x  2) 4( x  2 x  4)
2

18. (a) Q( x)  x 3  6 x 2  3x  10 (b) a  1, b  3, P ( x)  ( x  2)( x  3) 2

4 1 5
19.  
1  x 1  x (1  x) 2

20. (a) a  3 b  29

(a) P ( x )  ( x  2)( x  5)(2 x  3)
21. a  2 , b  15

23. (a) a  0, b  0 a  2, b  4

(b) x  2, x   2 , x  2

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24. p4 and q  3 , Q  x   3 x  1

25. a  26 b  10

4 1 1 1
  
26.
 x  1  x 2
9  2 x  1 6 x  3 3 x  3

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