Home page for accesible maths Math 101 Chapter 1: Sequences and Series

Style control - access keys in brackets

Font (2 3) - + Letter spacing (4 5) - + Word spacing (6 7) - + Line spacing (8 9) - +

1.8 Remainder theorem

Remainder Theorem

Let f(X)f(X) be a real polynomial and let a𝐑a\in{\textbf{R}}. Then the remainder on dividing f(X)f(X) by X-aX-a is f(a)f(a), so

f(X)=(X-a)q(X)+f(a)f(X)=(X-a)q(X)+f(a)

for some real polynomial q(X)q(X).

In particular, suppose that f(a)=0f(a)=0. Then aa is a zero of f(X)f(X) (or root of f(X)=0).f(X)=0). The graph of f(x)f(x) intersects with the xx axis at x=bx=b, and X-aX-a divides f(X)f(X).

Example

Factorize f(X)=X3-3X2-4X+12f(X)=X^{3}-3X^{2}-4X+12 as a product of linear factors.