Dividing Polynomials

What is a Polynomial?

 A polynomial is a mathematical expression that contains one or more terms involving variables raised to powers and coefficients. General polynomial of degree n is given by:

anxn + an−1xn−1 + … + a2x2 + a1x + a0

Where a0, a1, a2, . . ., an are the real coefficients. 

What is Polynomial Division?

Polynomial division is a process of dividing a polynomial by another polynomial.

What is the Degree of a Polynomial?

The degree of a polynomial is the highest power of the variable in the polynomial.

What is Long Division of Polynomials?

Long division of polynomials is a method of dividing a polynomial by another polynomial,which is similar to long division of numbers.

What is Synthetic Division of Polynomials?

Synthetic division of polynomials is a shorthand method of polynomial division used when dividing a polynomial by a linear polynomial of the form (x – a), where a is a real constant.

What is Remainder Theorem?

In simple words, remainder theorem states that if a polynomial f(x) is divided by x – a, the remainder is equal to f(a).

What is Factor Theorem?

In simple words, factor theorem states that for a polynomial f(x) if f(a) = 0, then (x – a) is a factor of f(x).

How to know if One Polynomial is Divisible by Another?

One polynomial is divisible by another if the degree of the first polynomial is greater than or equal to the degree of the second polynomial, and if the second polynomial is a factor of the first polynomial.



Dividing Polynomials – Long Division Algorithm

Dividing Polynomials as the name suggests the process of division of a polynomial by another polynomial. It is also called Polynomial Division. As we know, any expression with one variable with its various powers and coefficients is called a polynomial. The most general form of a polynomial is given as:

anxn + an−1xn−1 + … + a2x2 + a1x + a0

Where a0, a1, a2, . . ., an are the real coefficients. In Dividing Polynomial we divide the polynomial with a higher degree by a polynomial (that can monomial, binomial, trinomial, or any other higher degree polynomial) with less degree.

In this article, we will learn about all the necessary topics for the division of polynomials such as methods of division i.e., Long Division Method, Synthetic Division, etc. Also, we will learn how to solve problems related to Dividing Polynomials.

Table of Content

  • What is Dividing Polynomials?
  • Long Division of Polynomials
    • How to Divide Polynomials Using Long Division
  • Examples of Dividing Polynomials Using Long Division
  • Synthetic Division of Polynomials
    • How to Divide Polynomials Using Synthetic Division
    • Examples of Dividing Polynomials Using Synthetic Division
  • Dividing Polynomial by Monomial
    • Dividing Polynomial Using Splitting the Term Method
    • Dividing Polynomial Using Factorization Method
  • Examples of Dividing Polynomial by Monomial
  • Dividing Polynomial by Binomial
    • Dividing Polynomial by Binomial using Factorization
    • Dividing Polynomial by Binomial using Long Division Method
  • Common Mistakes to Avoid When Dividing Polynomials
  • Sample Problems on Dividing Polynomials
  • Dividing Polynomials Worksheet

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What is Dividing Polynomials?

Dividing Polynomials in maths is an arithmetic operation in which one polynomial is divided by another polynomial, where the divisor polynomial must have a degree less than or equal to the Dividend Polynomial otherwise division of polynomial can’t take place....

Long Division of Polynomials

The long division method is the most frequent and general method for dividing polynomials by binomials or any other form of polynomials. In case the given numerator and denominator do not have any common factors, you can simplify the expression by using the long division method....

Examples of Dividing Polynomials Using Long Division

Example: Divide x2 + 2x + 3 by x – 2....

Synthetic Division of Polynomials

It is a technique for dividing a polynomial by a linear binomial using only the coefficient values. We write the polynomials in standard form from the greatest degree term to the lowest degree term in this manner. Use zero as the coefficients of the missing terms when writing in descending powers....

Dividing Polynomial by Monomial

When a polynomial is divided by a monomial i.e., a polynomial with only one term in it, then the resulting polynomial can only be found if the degree of the divisor is less than or equal to the degree of the polynomial under consideration. We can divide a polynomial by a monomial using the following methods:...

Examples of Dividing Polynomial by Monomial

Let’s consider some more examples to further understand the concept of dividing a polynomial by a monomial....

Dividing Polynomial by Binomial

Binomial is a polynomial that consists of two terms. There are two ways we can divide a polynomial by a binomial. If a binomial is the factor of the given polynomial, then we will factorize the polynomial and eliminate the common factor. However this is not the case always, in case there is no common factor between the binomial and the polynomial to be divided then we will using the Long Division Method....

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Dividing Polynomials

There are some common mistakes done by students when dividing one polynomial by another. Some of these common mistakes are as follows:...

Sample Problems on Dividing Polynomials

Problem 1. Using synthetic division, find the quotient and remainder of [Tex] \bold{\frac{x^2 + 3}{x – 4}}  [/Tex]...

Dividing Polynomials Worksheet

1. Divide the polynomial x2 + 5x + 6 by x + 3...

FAQs on Dividing Polynomials

What is a Polynomial?...