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Worksheet

Factorising polynomials
1 When the polynomial x3 + 3x2 + ax + b is divided by x + 2, the remainder is 9; when divided by x − 3, the
remainder is 49.
Find the values of a and b.

2 When f (x) = x3 + 2x2 + 3x + k and g(x) = x2 − 5x + 6 are divided by x − 1, they leave the same remainder.
Find the value of k.

3 When 3x3 − ax2 + bx − 1 is divided by x − 2, the remainder is 1, and when divided by x − 1, the
remainder is 0. Find the values of a and b.

4 Find the value of k such that (x − 2) is a factor of the polynomial

P(x) = x3 − 2x2 + kx + k2.

5 A polynomial P(x) has a remainder m when divided by (x − m) and has a remainder n when divided by
(x − n), where m and n are non-zero real numbers such that m ≠ n. Show that when P(x) is divided by
(x − m)(x − n), the remainder is x.

6 Use the factor theorem to write each polynomial as a product of its factors.
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a  x − x2 − 10x − 8
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b  x − 6x2 + 5x + 12
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c  2x − 3x2 − 5x + 6
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d  6x − 11x2 + 6x − 1
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e  3x + 10x2 + 9x + 2
f  x4 − 6x3 + 11x2 − 6x

7 Let P(x) = x3 − ax2 + x be a polynomial, where a is a real number.

When P(x) is divided by x − 3, the remainder is 12.
Express P(x) as a product of its factors.

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Answers
1  a = −2, b = 1

2  k = −4

3  a = 9, b = 7

4  k = 0, −2

5  Let P(x) = (x − m)(x − n)Q(x) + (ax + b)

Given P(m) = m and P(n) = n
∴ am + b = m and an + b = n
since m ≠ n, ∴ a = 1 and b = 0
i.e. P(x) = (x − m)(x − n)Q(x) + x
6  a  (x + 1)(x + 2)(x − 4) b  (x + 1)(x − 3)(x − 4)
c  (x − 2)(x − 1)(2x + 3) d  (x − 1)(2x − 1)(3x − 1)
e  (x + 1)(x + 2)(3x + 1) f  x(x − 1)(x − 2)(x − 3)
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7  a = 2, P(x) = x(x − 1)

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MATHS11WK18829.indd 2 03/08/18 3:54 pm