PRECALCULUS I

Quadratic
Functions

Dr. Claude S. Moore

Danville Community College 1
 Polynomial Function
A polynomial function of degree n is
n n 1
f ( x)  an x  an 1 x      a0

where the a’s are real numbers and

the n’s are nonnegative integers
and an  0.
 Quadratic Function
A polynomial function of degree 2
is called a quadratic function.
It is of the form
2
f ( x)  ax  bx  c
a, b, and c are real numbers
and a  0.
 Axis of Symmetry
For a quadratic function of the
form
2
f ( x)  ax  bx  c
b
x gives the axis of
2a
symmetry.
 Standard Form
A quadratic function of the form
2
f ( x)  a( x  h)  k , a  0
is in standard form.
axis of symmetry: x = h
vertex: (h, k)
Characteristics of Parabola
a>0 axis of symmetry

vertex: maximum

vertex: minimum

axis of symmetry a<0

 PRECALCULUS I

Higher Degree
Polynomial Functions

Dr. Claude S. Moore

Danville Community College 7
 Characteristics
The graph of a polynomial function…
1. Is continuous.
2. Has smooth, rounded turns.
3. For n even, both sides go same way.
4. For n odd, sides go opposite way.
5. For a > 0, right side goes up.
6. For a < 0, right side goes down.
 Leading Coefficient Test: n odd
n n 1
f ( x)  an x  an 1 x      a0
graphs of a polynomial function for n odd:
.

an > 0 f ( x)   f ( x)   an < 0
as x   as x  

f ( x )   f ( x )  
as x   as x  
 Leading Coefficient Test: n even
n n 1
f ( x)  an x  an 1 x      a0
graphs of a polynomial function for n even:
.

an > 0 an < 0

f ( x)   f ( x)  
as x   as x  

f ( x )   f ( x )  
as x   as x  
 Roots, Zeros, Solutions
The following statements are equivalent for
real number a and polynomial function f :
1. x = a is root or zero of f.
2. x = a is solution of f (x) = 0.
3. (x - a) is factor of f (x).
4. (a, 0) is x-intercept of graph of f (x).
 Repeated Roots (Zeros)
1. If a polynomial function contains
k
a factor (x - a) , then x = a is a
repeated root of multiplicity k.
2. If k is even, the graph touches
(not crosses) the x-axis at x = a.
3. If k is odd, the graph crosses the
x-axis at x = a.
Intermediate Value Theorem
If a < b are two real numbers
and f (x)is a polynomial function
with f (a)  f (b),
then f (x) takes on every real
number value between
f (a) and f (b) for a  x  b.
NOTE to Intermediate Value
Let f (x) be a polynomial function
and a < b be two real numbers.
If f (a) and f (b)
have opposite signs
(one positive and one negative),
then f (x) = 0 for a < x < b.
PRECALCULUS I

Polynomial and
Synthetic Division

Dr. Claude S. Moore

Danville Community College 15
Full Division Algorithm
If f (x) and d(x) are polynomials
with d(x)  0 and the degree of d(x) is
less than or equal to the degree of f(x),
then q(x) and r (x) are unique
polynomials such that
f (x) = d(x) ·q(x) + r (x)
where r (x) = 0 or
has a degree less than d(x).
Short Division Algorithm
f (x) = d(x) ·q(x) + r (x)

dividend quotient
divisor remainder
where r (x) = 0 or
has a degree less than d(x).
 Synthetic Division
3
ax + bx 2 + cx + d divided by x - k
k a b c d
ka

a r
coefficients of quotient remainder
1. Copy leading coefficient.
2. Multiply diagonally. 3. Add vertically.
Remainder Theorem

If a polynomial f (x)
is divided by x - k,
the remainder is r = f (k).
 Factor Theorem

A polynomial f (x)
has a factor (x - k)
if and only if f (k) = 0.
 PRECALCULUS I

Real Zeros of
Polynomial Functions

Dr. Claude S. Moore

Danville Community College 21
 Descartes’s Rule of Signs
n n 1
f ( x)  an x  an 1 x      a0
a’s are real numbers, an  0, and a0  0.
1. Number of positive real zeros of f equals
number of variations in sign of f(x), or
less than that number by an even integer.
2. Number of negative real zeros of f equals
number of variations in sign of f(-x), or
less than that number by an even integer.
Example 1: Descartes’s Rule of Signs
3 2
f ( x)  4 x  5 x  6
a’s are real numbers, an  0, and a0  0.
1. f(x) has two change-of-signs; thus, f(x)
has two or zero positive real roots.
2. f(-x) = -4x3  5x2 + 6 has one change-of-
signs; thus, f(x) has one negative real
root.
Example 2: Descartes’s Rule of Signs

3 2
f ( x)  4 x  5 x  6 x
Factor out x; f(x) = x(4x2  5x + 6) = xg(x)
1. g(x) has two change-of-signs; thus, g(x)
has two or zero positive real roots.
2. g(-x) = 4x2 + 5x + 6 has zero change-of-
signs; thus, g(x) has no negative real root.
 Rational Zero Test
n n 1
f ( x)  an x  an 1 x      a0
If a’s are integers, every rational
zero of f has the form
rational zero = p/q,
in reduced form, and p and q are
factors of a0 and an, respectively.
Example 3: Rational Zero Test
f(x) = 4x  5x + 6
3 2

p  {1, 2, 3, 6}

q  {1, 2, 4}
p/q  {1, 2, 3, 6,
1/2, 1/4, 3/2, 3/4}
represents all possible rational roots
of f(x) = 4x3  5x2 + 6 .
Upper and Lower Bound
f(x) is a polynomial with real coefficients
and an > 0 with
f(x)  (x - c), using synthetic division:
1. If c > 0 and each # in last row is either
positive or zero, c is an upper bound.
2. If c < 0 and the #’s in the last row
alternate positive and negative, c is an
lower bound.
Example 4: Upper and Lower Bound
2x 
3 3x 12x + 8 divided by x + 3
2

-3 2 -3 -12 8
-6 27 -45

2 -9 15 -37
c = -3 < 0 and #’s in last row alternate
positive/negative. Thus, x = -3 is a
lower bound to real roots.