Final answer:
To find P(1) for the polynomial P(x) = - 2x^4 + 423x^2 - x + 8 using the remainder theorem, divide the polynomial by x - 1 and evaluate it at x = 1. The quotient is - 2x^3 + 421x^2 + 421x + 429 and the remainder is 1. Therefore, P(1) = 428.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find P(1) using the remainder theorem for the polynomial P(x) = - 2x^4 + 423x^2 - x + 8, we divide the polynomial by x - 1 and evaluate it at x = 1.
Perform synthetic division, using 1 as the divisor and the coefficients of the polynomial as the dividend. The result is - 2x^3 + 421x^2 + 421x + 429.
The quotient is - 2x^3 + 421x^2 + 421x + 429 and the remainder is 1.
Evaluate P(1) by substituting x = 1 into the original polynomial: P(1) = - 2(1)^4 + 423(1)^2 - 1 + 8 = - 2 + 423 - 1 + 8 = 428.