POLYNOMIALS & DIVISION ALGORITHM

INTRODUCTION
Almost a year back, we had heard about this confusing word polynomials and let me reveal you have to bear this
all long in many forms at almost all the places! Do you remember we were taught about polynomials in one variable,
their factors and degrees? We learnt about linear, quadratic and cubic polynomials. Also we got through monomial,
binomial and trinomial etc. We studied about zeroes of a polynomial and factorization of algebraic expressions using
various identities as well. I hope Im not putting salt over your wounds.
Now in our current venture we shall study about geometrical interpretation of zeroes of a polynomial. We shall confine
our exploration around quadratic polynomials mainly, though I shall be telling you about various aspects of cubic
polynomials too! We shall learn how to find zeroes of a quadratic polynomial and we shall also establish relationship
between its coefficients and the zeroes. We shall extend our study to learn further about Division Algorithm for
Polynomials with real coefficients.
And if that is all not enough, hang on! We shall enjoy a bit too, trust me!!
01. Polynomial: An algebraic expression involving some constants and the variable terms is known as a polynomial. If
x be a variable, n be a positive integer and
0 1 2
, , ,...,
n
a a a a be the constants, then
1 2
1 2 1 0
...

+ + + + +
n
n
n n
a x a x a x a x a is
known as a polynomial in variable x with degree n.
A polynomial of degree n can have at the most (n+1) terms.
02. Degree of a polynomial: It is the exponent (power) of the highest degree term in a polynomial. That is the highest
power of variable x (say) in a polynomial is called its degree. e.g.
3 2
2 4 7 5 + + x x x is a degree 3 polynomial.
03. Linear polynomial: It is a polynomial of degree one. The general notation for a linear polynomial is given as
( ) , = + p x ax b 0 = a , where a and b are constants.
04. Quadratic polynomial: A polynomial of degree two is called as quadratic polynomial. The general notation for a
quadratic polynomial is given as ( )
2
, = + + p x ax bx c 0 = a , where a, b and c are constants.
05. Cubic Polynomial: It is a polynomial of degree three. The general notation for a cubic polynomial is given as
( )
3 2
, = + + + p x ax bx cx d 0 = a , where a, b, c and d are constants.
06. Bi- quadratic polynomial: It is a polynomial of degree four. The general notation for a bi-quadratic polynomial is
given as ( )
4 3 2
, = + + + + p x ax bx cx dx e 0 = a , where a, b, c, d and e are constants.
07. Zeroes of a polynomial: The value(s) of x for which the polynomial ( ) p x becomes zero is (are) called zero(es) of
the polynomial. Geometrically, zeroes of ( ) p x are the x- coordinates of the points where the graph of ( ) = y p x
intersects the X- axis.
A polynomial of degree n has at the most n zeroes.
A quadratic polynomial has at the most two zeroes.
If a polynomial is of the form ( ) x p y = then geometrically, its zeroes are y-coordinates of the points
where the graph of ( ) x p y = intersects the Y-axis.
08. If o and | are the zeroes of quadratic polynomial ( )
2
, 0 = + + = p x ax bx c a then,
( ) . . o | + =
b
Sum of zeroes i e
a
and ( ) . . o| =
c
Product of zeroes i e
a

i.e.,
2
coefficient of x
coefficient of x
o | + = and
2
constant term
coefficient of x
o| =

09. If o , | and are the zeroes of cubic polynomial ( )
3 2
, = + + + p x ax bx cx d 0 = a then,
, o | o| | o + + = + + =
b c
a a
and o| =
d
a

10. To find a Quadratic polynomial if its zeroes are given: If o and | are the zeroes of quadratic polynomial say
( ) p x then the polynomial is given as,
( ) ( )
2 2
S P S P p x x x or k x x = + + where S , P o | o| = + = and k is any real number.
By OP Gupta

MATHEMATICIA OP GUPTA CLASS X 2

Note that here S and P represent the sum of zeroes and product of zeroes of ( ) p x respectively.
11. Division Algorithm for Polynomials: If ( ) p x and ( ) g x are any two polynomials with ( ) 0 = g x , then we can
find polynomials ( ) q x and ( ) r x such that
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ), = + p x g x q x r x ( ) ( ) ( ) 0 = < where r x or degree of r x degree of g x
If ( ) 0 r x = then the polynomial ( ) g x is a factor of polynomial ( ) p x .
12. Algebraic Identities:
a) ( )
2
2 2
2 + = + + a b a ab b b) ( )
2
2 2
2 = + a b a ab b
c) ( )
3
3 2 2 3
3 3 + = + + + a b a a b ab b d) ( )
3
3 2 2 3
3 3 = + a b a a b ab b
e) ( ) ( )
2 2
= + a b a b a b f) ( ) ( )
3 3 2 2
= + + a b a b a ab b
g) ( ) ( )
3 3 2 2
+ = + + a b a b a ab b h) ( )
2
2 2 2
2 2 2 + + = + + + + + a b c a b c ab bc ca
i) ( ) ( )
3 3 3 2 2 2
3 + + = + + + + a b c abc a b c a b c ab bc ca


WORKED OUT ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES


Ex01. Find the zeroes of
2
3 8 4 3 x x + and verify the relationship between its zeroes and coefficients.
Sol. We have,
2 2
3 8 4 3 3 6 2 4 3 x x x x x + = +

( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
3 2 3 2 2 3 2 3 3 2 x x x x x =
So, the value of
2
3 8 4 3 x x + is zero when
( )
2 3 0 x = or
( )
3 2 0 x = , i.e., when 2 3 x = or
2
3
x = .
Therefore, the zeroes of
2
3 8 4 3 x x + are 2 3 and
2
3
.
Now, sum of zeroes
2
2 8 8
2 3
3 3 3
Coefficient of x
Coefficient of x
| |
= + = = =
|
\ .

and, product of zeroes
( )
2
2 4 3
2 3 4
3 3
Constant term
Coefficient of x
| |
= = = =
|
\ .
.
Ex02. Find a quadratic polynomial whose zeroes are and 1.
Sol. Let the required quadratic polynomial be ( )
2
, 0 p x ax bx c a = + + = , and its zeroes be denoted by o and | .
We have, sum of zeroes ( )
1 3
S 1
4 4
o | = = + = + =
and, product of zeroes ( )
1 1
P 1
4 4
o| = = = = .
So, the required quadratic polynomial is ( ) ( )
2 2
S P S P = + + p x x x or k x x ,
i.e., ( )
2 2
3 1 3 1
4 4 4 4
p x x x x x
| | | |
= + = +
| |
\ . \ .
or
( )
2
4 3 1 k x x + where k is any real number.
Ex03. Obtain all zeroes of ( )
4 3 2
3 6 2 10 5 = + f x x x x x if two of its zeroes are
5
3
and
5
3
.
Sol. Since two zeroes are
5
3
and
5
3
,
2
5 5 5
3 3 3
x x x
| | | |
+ =
| |
\ . \ .
is a factor of the given polynomial. Now, we
shall divide the polynomial ( )
4 3 2
3 6 2 10 5 = + f x x x x x by
2
5
3
x .

MATHEMATICIA OP GUPTA CLASS X 3


2
2 4 3 2
4 2
3 2
3
2
2
3 6 3
5
3 6 2 10 5
3
3 5
6 3 10 5
6 10
3 5
3 5
0
x x
x x x x x
x x
x x x
x x
x
x
+ +
+

+
+

+


So,
( )
4 3 2 2 2
5
3 6 2 10 5 3 6 3
3
x x x x x x x
| |
+ = + +
|
\ .
.
Now by splitting the middle term of quotient
2
3 6 3 x x + + we factorize it as ( )
2
3 1 x + . So, its zeroes are given by
1 x = and 1 x = . Therefore, the zeroes of given polynomial ( ) f x are
5 5
, , 1
3 3
and 1 .