Math-115 Chapter 2: Polynomials and Rational Functions Fall 2024
2.3: Dividing Polynomials and the Rational Zeros Test
Over the past week we have been learning about the broad class of functions called polynomials. As it
turns out, a polynomial function is almost completely determined by three things: its degree, its leading
term, and its zeroes. The first two are easy to find, but figuring out all of a polynomial’s zeros can be
challenging. We here develop a technique of division for polynomials which will help simplify the task of
factoring polynomials.
Learning Goals. By the end of this section, students will be able to...
• define the term ‘factor’ for polynomials,
• perform polynomial long division,
• use the remainder theorem to double-check long division and to find remainders after division,
• use the factor theorem to double-check factoring.
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Math-115 Chapter 2: Polynomials and Rational Functions Fall 2024
Integer Long Division
Lets start with a quick review of integer division.
If some integer a can be expressed as a product b · c, we say that b and c are factors of a.
For example, 2, 5, 10, and 20 are some factors of 100.
Given integers a and b, we can try to divide a by b. We can even do this if b isn’t a factor of a
In such cases we get an expression like this:
a d
=c+ ⇔a=b·c+d
b b
Or we may sometimes see this written out in long-division form as:
c
b a
− (b · c)
Here a would be called the dividend, b the divisor, c the quotient, and d the remainder. So we can divide
integers by non-factors, so long as we accept a remainder.
We now want to try this same technique with polynomials. The process may seem intimidating, so when
studying and practicing try to relate the polynomial techniques back to the same techniques for integers.
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Math-115 Chapter 2: Polynomials and Rational Functions Fall 2024
Polynomial Long Division
Definition. We say that a polynomial D(x) is a factor of a polynomial F (x) if F (x) can be written as
D(x) · Q(x) for some polynomial Q(x)
As an example, for the polynomial F (x) = x2 − 4, we can say that F (x) = (x + 2)(x − 2).
Both x + 2 and x − 2 are factors of F (x).
F (x)
Clearly, we can divide a polynomial by its factors. Since F (x) = (x + 2)(x − 2), we have x + 2 = x − 2.
But we can also divide by non-factors.
The following is called the Division Algorithm by your textbook, but it is really just a polynomial
version of what we already know is true for integers.
Polynomial Long-Division: If D(x) is a non-zero polynomial, and F (x) is any polynomial, then there
are unique polynomials Q(x), R(x) such that the degree of R(x) is less than the degree of D(x) and...
F (x) R(x)
= Q(x) + ⇔ F (x) = D(x) · Q(x) + R(x)
D(x) D(x)
Here, D(x) the , Q(x) is the , and R(x) is the .
F (X) is the .
The reason that R(x) has lower degree than D(x) is the same as the reason why (in the integer case) the
remainder cannot be further divided by the divisor. Polynomials can always be divided by polynomials of
lower degree
and get a non-zero quotient. For this reason, for
any polynomials F (x) and D(x) we say that
is improper, if degree of F (x) ≥ degree of D(x)
F (x)
=
D(x)
is proper,
if degree of F (x) < degree of D(x)
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Math-115 Chapter 2: Polynomials and Rational Functions Fall 2024
Example: Find the quotient and remainder for division of 3x3 + 7 + x + 4x2 by the polynomial x2 + 1
Step 1: Write the dividend and divisor in standard form; add zero-terms for missing powers of x
Step 2: Write in the long-division notation
Step 3: Divide the first term in the dividend by the first term in the divisor to obtain the first term
in the quotient
Step 4: Multiply the divisor by the first term in the quotient, and subtract the product from the dividend
Step 5: Treat what is left after subtraction as the new dividend, and repeat steps 3 and 4. Continue
repeating until the new remainder is lower degree than the divisor.
Step 6: Report the quotient and dividend
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Math-115 Chapter 2: Polynomials and Rational Functions Fall 2024
Problem. Divide F (x) = 2x4 + x3 + 18 − 16x2 by D(x) = x + 2
When dividing a polynomial F (x) by a term of the form x−a, the remainder is always a .
This fact follows from....
The Remainder Theorem
If a polynomial F (x) is divided by x − a, then the remainder R is given by R = F (a).
The fact that the remainder must be a constant actually follows directly from the division algorithm.
Since the remainder must be of lower degree than the divisor.
Example: Use the remainder theorem to double-check the remainder we got above.
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Math-115 Chapter 2: Polynomials and Rational Functions Fall 2024
The Factor Theorem
A polynomial F (x) has factor x − a if and only if F (a) = 0
So finding the linear factors of F (x) is really the same thing as finding its zeros. More generally, solving
F (X) = 0 is the same problem as factoring F (x) then applying the
Example: Divide g(x) = x3 − 30 − 19x by x + 2. Then, report all the factors of g(x).
Confirm these factors using the factor theorem.
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Math-115 Chapter 2: Polynomials and Rational Functions Fall 2024
Application
(problem 90 from textbook section 2.1): A rancher with 120 meters of fence intends to enclose a rectangular
region along a river (which serves as a natural boundary requiring no fence). Find the maximum area that
can be enclosed.
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