Question
Question: How do you use synthetic division to divide: \(\dfrac{{180x - {x^4}}}{{x - 6}}?\)...
How do you use synthetic division to divide: x−6180x−x4?
Solution
Synthetic division is consist of very systematic process, to divide a polynomial expression ax3+bx2+cx+d with x−q, you have to go through following steps:
i. Set the synthetic division: equate the denominator or the divisor to get the digit to put in the
division box. And be sure that numerator or dividend is written in decreasing order of the
degree of x, if any term is missing then fill 0 with it as follows:
q!abcd
ii. Now write the first coefficient as it is, as follows
q!abcd a
iii. Multiply the number in the division box with the number which is previously written down
q!abcd (q×a) a
iv. Add b&q×a and write down
v. Again multiply q with the new number which is written and write it and add with next number
vi. Do this until you reach the last number
vii. Write down the final answer, start multiplying variable x with degree less than 1 from
numerator and decrease one with each next term. The last number is your remainder which will
be written in fraction with original divisor x−q in denominator.
Complete step by step solution:
Given: x−6180x−x4, rewriting it as
=x−6−x4+180x
For divisor, ⇒x−6=0 ⇒x=6
Setting up the synthetic division
=6!∣−1180
Putting down −1 as it is
=6!∣−1180 −1
Multiplying 6 with −1 and adding the product with 180
=6!∣−1180 −6 −1174
Now writing the final answer, multiplying x of degree 1 less in each term and last number having denominator x−6
=−1×x+x−6174 =−x+x−6174
We got our final result =−x+x−6174
Note: To use synthetic division for division of polynomials, the denominator must be a linear expression and coefficient of x must be 1. If it is not 1 then make it by dividing the expression with coefficient of x Sometimes due to complex expression synthetic division doesn’t work, go for a long division method in that case.