OCR C2 2012 June — Question 8

Exam BoardOCR
ModuleC2 (Core Mathematics 2)
Year2012
SessionJune
TopicFactor & Remainder Theorem
TypeTwo factors given

8 Two cubic polynomials are defined by $$\mathrm { f } ( x ) = x ^ { 3 } + ( a - 3 ) x + 2 b , \quad \mathrm {~g} ( x ) = 3 x ^ { 3 } + x ^ { 2 } + 5 a x + 4 b$$ where \(a\) and \(b\) are constants.
  1. Given that \(\mathrm { f } ( x )\) and \(\mathrm { g } ( x )\) have a common factor of ( \(x - 2\) ), show that \(a = - 4\) and find the value of \(b\).
  2. Using these values of \(a\) and \(b\), factorise \(\mathrm { f } ( x )\) fully. Hence show that \(\mathrm { f } ( x )\) and \(\mathrm { g } ( x )\) have two common factors.