108,314 views
38 votes
38 votes
If f(x)= x³ - 5x² - 22x - 16 and x + 2 is a factor of f(x), then find all of the

zeros of f(x) algebraically.

User Bhzag
by
3.4k points

1 Answer

26 votes
26 votes

Answer:

  • x = -2, -1, 8

Explanation:

You want the zeros of f(x) = x³ -5x² -22x -16, given that a factor is x+2.

Factors

Using synthetic division (see attachment), we find the quadratic factor to be (x² -7x -8), so we have ...

f(x) = (x +2)(x² -7x -8)

The quadratic can be factored using our knowledge of the divisors of -8 to give ...

f(x) = (x +2)(x +1)(x -8)

Zeros

The zeros of f(x) are the values of x that make these factors zero:

x = -2, -1, 8 . . . . . zeros of f(x)

__

Additional comment

We know the product of binomial factors is ...

(x -a)(x +b) = x² -(a-b)x -ab

This means we can factor the quadratic by looking for factors of 8 that have a difference of 7. We know that 8 = 8·1 and that 8-1=7, so the values of 'a' and 'b' we're looking for are a=8, b=1.

The "zero product rule" tells you a product is zero only if one of the factors is zero. That is how we know to look for the zeros of the binomial factors of f(x). For example, x+2=0 ⇒ x=-2 is a zero of f(x). (The remainder of 0 in the synthetic division also tells us f(-2)=0.)

<95141404393>

If f(x)= x³ - 5x² - 22x - 16 and x + 2 is a factor of f(x), then find all of the zeros-example-1
User Haroun SMIDA
by
3.2k points
Welcome to QAmmunity.org, where you can ask questions and receive answers from other members of our community.