Division to Solve Polynomial Equations

Questions that use polynomial division (often with a known factor or quadratic divisor) to reduce a cubic or quartic equation, then solve the resulting equation exactly.

10 questions · Standard +0.0

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CAIE P2 2020 March Q2
6 marks Moderate -0.8
2
  1. Find the quotient when \(4 x ^ { 3 } + 17 x ^ { 2 } + 9 x\) is divided by \(x ^ { 2 } + 5 x + 6\), and show that the remainder is 18 .
  2. Hence solve the equation \(4 x ^ { 3 } + 17 x ^ { 2 } + 9 x - 18 = 0\).
CAIE P2 2014 June Q3
6 marks Standard +0.3
3
  1. Find the quotient when \(6 x ^ { 4 } - x ^ { 3 } - 26 x ^ { 2 } + 4 x + 15\) is divided by ( \(x ^ { 2 } - 4\) ), and confirm that the remainder is 7 .
  2. Hence solve the equation \(6 x ^ { 4 } - x ^ { 3 } - 26 x ^ { 2 } + 4 x + 8 = 0\).
CAIE P2 2018 June Q3
6 marks Standard +0.3
3
  1. Find the quotient when $$x ^ { 4 } - 2 x ^ { 3 } + 8 x ^ { 2 } - 12 x + 13$$ is divided by \(x ^ { 2 } + 6\) and show that the remainder is 1 .
  2. Show that the equation $$x ^ { 4 } - 2 x ^ { 3 } + 8 x ^ { 2 } - 12 x + 12 = 0$$ has no real roots.
CAIE P2 2019 March Q4
6 marks Standard +0.3
4
  1. Find the quotient when \(4 x ^ { 3 } + 8 x ^ { 2 } + 11 x + 9\) is divided by ( \(2 x + 1\) ), and show that the remainder is 5 .
  2. Show that the equation \(4 x ^ { 3 } + 8 x ^ { 2 } + 11 x + 4 = 0\) has exactly one real root.
CAIE P2 2012 November Q3
6 marks Standard +0.3
3 The polynomial \(x ^ { 4 } - 4 x ^ { 3 } + 3 x ^ { 2 } + 4 x - 4\) is denoted by \(\mathrm { p } ( x )\).
  1. Find the quotient when \(\mathrm { p } ( x )\) is divided by \(x ^ { 2 } - 3 x + 2\).
  2. Hence solve the equation \(\mathrm { p } ( x ) = 0\).
CAIE P2 2015 November Q4
7 marks Standard +0.3
4
  1. Find the quotient when \(3 x ^ { 3 } + 5 x ^ { 2 } - 2 x - 1\) is divided by ( \(x - 2\) ), and show that the remainder is 39 .
  2. Hence show that the equation \(3 x ^ { 3 } + 5 x ^ { 2 } - 2 x - 40 = 0\) has exactly one real root.
OCR MEI C4 Q5
5 marks Moderate -0.3
5
  1. Simplify \(\frac { x ^ { 3 } - x ^ { 2 } - 3 x - 9 } { x - 3 }\).
  2. Hence or otherwise solve the equation \(x ^ { 3 } - x ^ { 2 } - 3 x - 9 = 6 ( x - 3 )\).
Edexcel AS Paper 1 2024 June Q5
9 marks Moderate -0.3
  1. The curve \(C _ { 1 }\) has equation
$$y = \frac { 6 } { x } + 3$$
    1. Sketch \(C _ { 1 }\) stating the coordinates of any points where the curve cuts the coordinate axes.
    2. State the equations of any asymptotes to the curve \(C _ { 1 }\) The curve \(C _ { 2 }\) has equation $$y = 3 x ^ { 2 } - 4 x - 10$$
  1. Show that \(C _ { 1 }\) and \(C _ { 2 }\) intersect when $$3 x ^ { 3 } - 4 x ^ { 2 } - 13 x - 6 = 0$$ Given that the \(x\) coordinate of one of the points of intersection is \(- \frac { 2 } { 3 }\)
  2. use algebra to find the \(x\) coordinates of the other points of intersection between \(C _ { 1 }\) and \(C _ { 2 }\) (Solutions relying on calculator technology are not acceptable.)
OCR MEI C1 2009 January Q13
11 marks Moderate -0.3
13 Answer part (i) of this question on the insert provided. The insert shows the graph of \(y = \frac { 1 } { x }\).
  1. On the insert, on the same axes, plot the graph of \(y = x ^ { 2 } - 5 x + 5\) for \(0 \leqslant x \leqslant 5\).
  2. Show algebraically that the \(x\)-coordinates of the points of intersection of the curves \(y = \frac { 1 } { x }\) and \(y = x ^ { 2 } - 5 x + 5\) satisfy the equation \(x ^ { 3 } - 5 x ^ { 2 } + 5 x - 1 = 0\).
  3. Given that \(x = 1\) at one of the points of intersection of the curves, factorise \(x ^ { 3 } - 5 x ^ { 2 } + 5 x - 1\) into a linear and a quadratic factor. Show that only one of the three roots of \(x ^ { 3 } - 5 x ^ { 2 } + 5 x - 1 = 0\) is rational.
OCR C2 Q4
8 marks Standard +0.3
4. \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{30d4e6e5-8235-44b0-ad8e-c4c0b313677f-1_572_803_1336_461} The diagram shows the curves with equations \(y = 7 - 2 x - 3 x ^ { 2 }\) and \(y = \frac { 2 } { x }\).
The two curves intersect at the points \(P , Q\) and \(R\).
  1. Show that the \(x\)-coordinates of \(P , Q\) and \(R\) satisfy the equation $$3 x ^ { 3 } + 2 x ^ { 2 } - 7 x + 2 = 0$$ Given that \(P\) has coordinates \(( - 2 , - 1 )\),
  2. find the coordinates of \(Q\) and \(R\).