Finish Line & Beyond

POLYNOMIALS
Introduction

1. Polynomials of degrees 1, 2 and 3 are called linear, quadratic and cubic polynomi-
als respectively.
2. A quadratic polynomial in x with real coefficients is of the form ax2 + bx + c,
where a, b, c are real numbers with a ≠ 0.
3. The zeroes of a polynomial p(x) are precisely the x-coordinates of the points,
where the graph of y = p(x) intersects the x -axis.
4. A quadratic polynomial can have at most 2 zeroes and a cubic polynomial can
have at most 3 zeroes.
5. If α and β are the zeroes of the quadratic polynomial ax2 + bx + c, then

b
α + β = −
a
c
αβ =
a
6. If α, β, γ are the zeroes of the cubic polynomial ax3 + bx2 + cx + d = 0, then

b
α + β +γ = −
a
c
αβ + βγ + αγ =
a
d
αβγ = −
a
7. The division algorithm states that given any polynomial p(x) and any non-zero
polynomial g(x), there are polynomials q(x) and r(x) such that

p(x) = g(x) q(x) + r(x),

where, r(x) = 0 or degree r(x) < degree g(x).

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 Finish Line & Beyond

EXERCISE 1
1. The graphs of y = p(x) are given below, for some polynomials p(x). Find the num-
ber of zeroes of p(x), in each case.

(i)

Answer: Number of zeroes = 0, since the line is not intersecting the x-axis

(ii)

Answer: Number of zeroes = 1, since the line intersects the x axis once.

(iii)

Answer: Number of zeroes = 2, since the line intersects the x axis twice.

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 Finish Line & Beyond

(iv)

Answer: Number of zeroes = 2

(v)

Answer: Number of zeroes = 4

(vi)

Answer: Number of zeroes = 2

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 Finish Line & Beyond

EXERCISE 2

1. Find the zeroes of the following quadratic polynomials and verify the rela-
tionship between the zeroes and the coefficients.
(i) x2 – 2x – 8

Answer: x² - 2x – 8
= x² - 4x + 2x – 8
= x (x-4) +2(x-4)
= (x+2)(x-4)
Hence x = -2
Or, x = 4

Verification of relationship of zeroes and coefficients

b
α + β = −
a
− 2
= -2 + 4 = −
1
⇒ 2 = 2 LHS and RHS are equal so relationship is verified.

(ii) 4s2 – 4s + 1

− b± b 2 − 4ac
Answer: Zero =
2a
4± 16 − 4 × 4 × 1
=
8
4 1
= =
8 2

c
Verify: αβ =
a
1 1 1
Or, × = (LHS & RHS are equal)
2 2 4

(iii) 6x2 – 3 – 7x

Answer= 6x² - 7x – 3

− b± b 2 − 4ac
Zero =
2a

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 Finish Line & Beyond

7± 49 + 72
=
12
7 ± 121
=
12
7 + 11 18 3
α = = =
12 12 2
7 − 11 4 1
β = = − = −
12 12 3

(iv) 4u2 + 8u

− b± b 2 − 4ac
Answer: Zero =
2a
− 8± 64 + 4 × 4 × 0
=
8
− 8± 8
=
8
− 8+ 8
α = = 0
8
− 8− 8
β = = −2
8
(v) t2 – 15

− b± b 2 − 4ac
Answer: Zero =
2a
15 ± 15
=
2
α = 0, β = 15

(vi) 3x2 – x – 4

Answer: 3x²+3x -4x -4

=3x(x+1)-4(x+1)
=(3x-4)(x+1)

4
Zeroes = -1 &
3

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 Finish Line & Beyond

2. Find a quadratic polynomial each with the given numbers as the sum and
product of its eroes respectively.
1
(i) ,1
4
Quadratic equation can be written as follows:

x²- (Sum of zeroes)x +(Product of zeroes)

= x² - ( α + β )x + ( α β )

Hence, the required equation is as follows:

1
x² - x +1 = 4 x 2 − x + 4
4

(ii) 2,1
Equation: x2 − 2x + 1

(iii) 0, 5

Equation: x 2 − 0x + 5 = x2 + 5

(iv) 1, 1

Equation: x2 − x + 1

1 1
(v) − ,
4 4

1 1
Equation: x2 + x + = 4x 2 + x + 1
4 4

(vi) 4, 1

Equation: x 2 − 4x + 1

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 Finish Line & Beyond

EXERCISE 3
1. Divide the polynomial p(x) by the polynomial g(x) and find the quotient
and remainder in each of the following :
(i) p(x) = x3 – 3x2 + 5x – 3, g(x) = x2 – 2

Answer: )
x 2 − 2 x 3 − 3 x 2 + 5 x − 3( x − 3
x3 − 2x
− 3x 2 + 7 x − 3
− 3x 2 + 6
0 + 7x − 9

Quotient: x − 3 , Remainder: 7 x − 9

(ii) p(x) = x4 – 3x2 + 4x + 5, g(x) = x2 + 1 – x

Answer: ) (
x 2 + 1 − x x 4 − 3x 2 + 4 x + 5 x 2 + x − 3
x4 + x2 − x3
x3 − 4x 2 + 4x + 5
x3 − x 2 + x
− 3 x 2 + 3x + 5
− 3 x 2 + 3x − 3
0+ 0+ 8

Quotient: x 2 + x − 3 , Remainder: 8
(iii) p(x) = x4 – 5x + 6, g(x) = 2 – x2
2 4
)
Answer: − x + 2 x − 5 x + 6 − x − 2
2
(
x 4 − 2x 2
2 x 2 − 5x + 6
2x 2 − 4
− 5 x + 10

Quotient: − x 2 − 2 , Remainder: − 5 x + 10

2. Check whether the first polynomial is a factor of the second polynomial

by dividing the second polynomial by the first polynomial:

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 Finish Line & Beyond

(i) t2 – 3, 2t4 + 3t3 – 2t2 – 9t – 12

Answer: ) (
t 2 − 3 2t 4 + 3t 3 − 2t 2 − 9t − 12 2t 2 + 3t + 4
2t 4 − 6t 2
3t 3 + 4t 2 − 9t − 12
3t 3 − 9t
4t 2 − 12
4t 2 − 12
0000000
Since there is no remainder so t 2 − 3 is a factor of the given equation.

(ii) x2 + 3x + 1, 3x4 + 5x3 – 7x2 + 2x + 2

Answer: ) (
x 2 + 3 x + 1 3x 4 + 5 x 3 − 7 x 2 + 2 x + 2 3 x 2 − 4 x + 2
3x 4 + 9 x 3 + 3x 2
− 4 x 3 − 10 x 2 + 2 x + 2
− 4 x 3 − 12 x 2 − 4 x
2x 2 + 6x + 2
2x 2 + 6x + 2
0000000000
Since there is no remainder so x 2 + 3 x + 1 is a factor of the given equation

(iii) x3 – 3x + 1, x5 – 4x3 + x2 + 3x + 1

Answer: ) (
x 3 − 3x + 1 x 5 − 4 x 3 + x 2 + 3x + 1 x 2 − 1
x 5 − 3x 3 + x 2
− x 3 + 3x + 1
− x 3 + 3x − 1
2

Since there is a remainder = 2, so it is not a factor of the given equation.

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 Finish Line & Beyond

3. Obtain all other zeroes of 3x4 + 6x3 – 2x2 – 10x – 5, if two of its zeroes
5 5
are and −
3 3

 5  5 5
Answer:  x+  x −  = x 2 − ⇒ 3x 2 − 5 is a factor for the given equation.
 
3  
3 3

) (
3 x 2 − 5 3 x 4 + 6 x 3 − 2 x 2 − 10 x − 5 x 2 + 2 x +1
3x 4 − 5x 2
6 x 3 + 3 x 2 − 10 x − 5
6 x 3 − 10 x
3x 2 − 5
3x 2 − 5
0000000

Now the quotient x 2 + 2 x + 1 can be factorized as follows:

x 2 + x + x + 1 = x( x + 1) + 1( x + 1) = ( x + 1)( x + 1)
Hence, x=-1 which is another zero for the given equation.

4. On dividing x3 – 3x2 + x + 2 by a polynomial g(x), the quotient and re-

mainder were x – 2 and –2x + 4, respectively. Find g(x).

Answer: Deducting the remainder from the given equation we get:

x 3 − 3 x 2 + x + 2 + 2 x − 4 = x 3 − 3 x 2 + 3x − 2
Now, we need to divide this by the given quotient

(
x − 2 ) x 3 − 3 x 2 + 3x − 2 x 2 − x + 1
x 3 − 2x 2
− x 2 + 3x − 2
− x 2 + 2x
x− 2
x− 2
0000

So, g ( x) = x 2 − x + 1

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