AQA Core 1 Polynomials

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Section 2: The factor and remainder theorems

Solutions to Exercise

1. (i)



3 2
3 2
7
1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2 4 4 2
f( ) 2 7 4
f( ) 2 7 4 4 0
x x x x
By the factor theorem, 2x + 1 is a factor, so there is no remainder.




3 2 2
3 2 2
3 2
2 7 4 (2 1)( )
2 2 2
2 ( 2 ) ( 2 )
x x x x ax bx c
ax ax bx bx cx c
ax a b x b c x c

Equating coefficients of x 1 a
Equating constant terms 4 c
Equating coefficients of x 2 7 1 b c b
Check: coefficient of x 2 1 2 1 a b


3 2 2
(2 7 4) (2 1) 4 x x x x x x

(ii)

3 2
f( ) 2 4
f(1) 1 2 4 1
x x x
The remainder is therefore -1.




3 2 2
3 2 2
3 2
2 4 ( 1)( ) 1
1
( ) ( ) 1
x x x ax bx c
ax ax bx bx cx c
ax b a x c b x c

Equating coefficients of x 1 a
Equating constant terms 1 4 3 c c
Equating coefficients of x 2 3 b a b
Check: coefficient of x 3 3 0 c b


3 2 2
( 2 4) ( 1) 3 3 x x x x x remainder -1.


2. (i)
3 2
f( ) 2 5 6 x x x x

3 2
f( 1) 2( 1) 5( 1) ( 1) 6 2 5 1 6 0
so by the factor theorem, x + 1 is a factor.

(ii)

3 2 2
2 5 6 ( 1)(2 7 6)
( 1)(2 3)( 2)
x x x x x x
x x x



(iii)
3 2
2 5 6 ( 1)(2 3)( 2) y x x x x x x
When x = 0, y = 6
When y = 0, x = -1 or
3
2
x or x = 2

AQA C1 Polynomials 2 Exercise solutions


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3. (i)
3 2
f( ) 4 12 x x ax x




3 2
f(2) 2 2 4 2 12
8 4 8 12
4 12
a
a
a

x 2 is a factor so by the factor theorem f(2) = 0



4 12 0
3
a
a


(ii)
3 2 2
3 4 12 ( 2)( ) x x x x ax bx c
By inspection

3 2 2
3 4 12 ( 2)( 6)
( 2)( 2)( 3)
x x x x x x
x x x



4.
3 2
f( ) 2 5 2 x x x x

(i) By the remainder theorem, the remainder when f(x) is divided by x + 2 is
f(-2).
Remainder
3 2
f( 2) 2( 2) 5( 2) 2 2 16 20 2 2 40

(ii) By the remainder theorem, the remainder when f(x) is divided by x 1 is
f(1).
Remainder
3 2
f(1) 2 1 5 1 1 2 2 5 1 2 4


5. (i)
3 2
f( ) 2 x x x x

3 2
f(2) 2 2 2 2 8 4 2 2 0
so by the factor theorem, x 2 is a factor.

(ii)
3 2 2
2 ( 2)( 1) x x x x x x
The quadratic expression
2
1 x x cannot be factorised, so the
expression has been factorised as far as possible.

(iii) The discriminant of
2
1 x x is
2
1 4 1 1 3, so the quadratic
equation
2
1 0 x x has no real roots.
-1
2
6
3
2

AQA C1 Polynomials 2 Exercise solutions


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Therefore the graph of
3 2
2 y x x x crosses the x-axis once only.


6.
3 2
f( ) 5 4 x x kx x
By the remainder theorem,





3 2
f(3) 2
3 3 5 3 4 2
27 9 15 4 2
16 9 2
9 18
2
k
k
k
k
k



7.
3 2
f( ) 3 1 x x ax bx
By the remainder theorem,




3 2
f(2) 5
3 2 2 2 1 5
24 4 2 1 5
4 2 18
2 9
a b
a b
a b
a b


By the remainder theorem,



3 2
f( 1) 1
3( 1) ( 1) ( 1) 1 1
3 1 1
3
a b
a b
a b


Adding:

3 6
2, 5
a
a b



8.
3 2
3 2 11 10 0 x x x

3 2
f( ) 3 2 11 10 x x x x
f(1) 3 2 11 10 0 so (x 1) is a factor



2
5
3
( 1)(3 10) 0
( 1)(3 5)( 2) 0
1 or or 2
x x x
x x x
x x x



9.
3 2
2 5 14 8 0 x x x

3 2
f( ) 2 5 14 8 x x x x
f(1) 2 5 14 8 15
f( 1) 2 5 14 8 9
f(2) 16 20 28 8 0 so (x 2) is a factor
AQA C1 Polynomials 2 Exercise solutions


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2
1
2
( 2)(2 9 4) 0
( 2)(2 1)( 4) 0
2 or or 4
x x x
x x x
x x x



10.
3 2
4 12 7 30 0 x x x

3 2
f( ) 4 12 7 30 x x x x
f(1) 4 12 7 30 21
f( 1) 4 12 7 30 15
f(2) 32 48 14 30 36
f( 2) 32 48 14 30 0 so (x + 2) is a factor



2
5 3
2 2
( 2)(4 4 15) 0
( 2)(2 5)(2 3) 0
2 or or
x x x
x x x
x x x