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1. Make sure your answers and work is SHOWN please and steps are in order.

2. List all of the possible rational roots.
3. Use synthetic division to test the possible rational roots and factor as far as possible.
4. Identify complex roots, if possible.
5. Sketch a graph of the function, please show:
a. the end behavior correctly
b. the shape of the near x-int
c. (if possible) anything you can learn by considering symmetry and transformations.

1a. p(x)- 2x^4-3x^3-6x^2+5x+6

2a. p(x)= x^4 + 4x^3 + 13x^2 + 36x + 36

3a. p(x)= 2x^5 - 9x^4 + 6x^3 + 22x^2 - 20x - 25

1 Answer

3 votes

Been a while since I've done synthetic division.

1a. Let's assume that's supposed to be an equals sign

p(x) = 2x⁴ - 3x³ - 6x² + 5x + 6

possible rational roots have factors of 6 in the numerator and of 2 in the denominator. We'll only worry about negative numerators.

Factors of six: 1,2,3,6, and we don't forget -1,-2,-3,-6

Factors of 2: 1,2

Possible rational roots:

(dividing by 1:) 1,-1,2,-2,3,-3,6,-6

(dividing by 2:) 1/2, -1/2 (2/2=1 is a duplicate, don't have to repeat it), 3/2, -3/2

Possible rational roots: 1,-1,2,-2,3,-3,6,-6, 1/2, -1/2, 3/2, -3/2

Synthetic division, trying x=1,

1 | 2 -3 -6 5 6

2 -1 -7 -2

2 -1 -7 -2 4

Got a remainder of 4, so 1 isn't a root;

Trying x=-1

-1 | 2 -3 -6 5 6

-2 5 1 -6

2 -5 -1 6 0

Zero remainder, found a root, x=-1. This division says

(2x⁴ - 3x³ - 6x² + 5x + 6) / (x + 1) = 2x³ - 5x² - x + 6

Same set of rational roots on the cubic, we continue with x=2

2 | 2 -5 -1 6

4 -2 -6

2 -1 -3 0

Another zero remainder, x=2 is a root. We're left with 2x² - x - 3 = 0, which factors as

(2x - 3)(x + 1) = 0

That's a second factor of x+1. Our final factorization is

2x⁴ - 3x³ - 6x² + 5x + 6 = (x + 1)²(x-2)(2x - 3)

Fourth degree with a positive leading coefficient so goes to +infinity at both ends. Double zero at x=-1, so it's tangent there, just touching the x axis, then down through x=3/2 and up through x=2.

I'll leave the actually sketching and the other two polynomials to you -- that took some time.

User Zerina
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