Polynomial Problems with Solutions

Polynomial problems with detailed solutions.

Problem 1:
The graph of a cubic polynomial
y = a x3 + b x2 + c x + d
is shown below. Find the coefficients a, b, c and d.

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Solution to Problem 1:

This polynomial has a zero of multiplicity 1 at x = -2 and a

zero of multiplicity 2 at x = 1. Hence the polynomial may be written as
y = a (x + 2)(x - 1) 2

This polynomial has a y intercept (0 , 1). Hence

1 = a (0 + 2)(0 - 1) 2

Solve for a to obtain

a=1/2

The polynomial may now be written as follows

y = (1 / 2) (x + 2)(x - 1) 2

Expand to obtain
y = (1 / 2) x 3 -(3 / 2) x + 1

We now identify the coefficients as follows

a = 1/2 , b = 0, c = -3/2 and d = 1

Problem 2:
The graph of the polynomial
y = a x4 + b x3 + c x2 + d x + e
is shown below. Find the coefficients a, b, c, d and e.

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Solution to Problem 2:

This polynomial has a zero of multiplicity 2 at x = - 2 and a zero of multiplicity 2 at

x = 2. Hence it may be written as
y = a (x + 2) 2 (x - 2) 2

We now use the y intercept at (0 , -2) to write the equation

-2 = a (0 + 2) 2 (0 - 2) 2

Solve the above for a to obtain

a=-1/8

We now write the polynomial as follows

y = (-1 / 8) (x + 2) 2 (x - 2) 2

Expand

y = (-1 / 8) x 4 + x 2 - 2

We now identify the coefficients

a = -1 / 8, b = 0, c = 1, d = 0, e = 1

Problem 3:
The polynomial
f(x) = x 6 + 4 x 5 + x 4 - 12 x 3 - 11 x 2 + 4 x + 4
has a zero of multiplicity 2 at x = - 2. Find the other real zeros.
Solution to Problem 3:

If f has a zero of multiplicity 2, then it may be written as follows

f(x) = (x + 2) 2 Q(x)

Where Q(x) is a polynomial of degree 4 and may be found by division

Q(x) = f(x) / (x + 2) 2 = x 4 -3 x 2 + 1

Polynomial f may now be written as

f(x) = (x + 2) 2 (x 4 -3 x 2 + 1)

The remaining zeros of polynomial f may be found by solving the equation

x 4 -3 x 2 + 1 = 0

It is an equation of the quadratic type with solutions

( sqrt(5) + 1 ) / 2 , ( sqrt(5) - 1 ) / 2 , ( - sqrt(5) - 1 ) / 2 , ( - sqrt(5) + 1 ) / 2