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The Remainder Theorem

The Remainder Theorem starts with an unnamed polynomial p(x), where "p(x)" just means that the variable in the polynomial p is x. Then the Theorem talks about dividing the polynomial by some linear factor x – a, where a is just some number. Then, thinking about the long division, you end up with some polynomial answer q(x) (for "quotient polynomial") and some polynomial remainder r(x). As a concrete example, let's look at the polynomial p(x) = x³ – 7x – 6, and let's divide by the linear factor x – 4:

So we get x² + 4x + 9 on top (this is q(x)), with a remainder of 30.

You know, from long division of regular numbers, that your remainder (if there is one) has to be smaller than whatever you divided by. In polynomial terms, since we're dividing by a linear factor (that is, a factor in which the degree on x is just an understood "1"), then the remainder must be just a constant. That is, when you divide by "x – a", your remainder will just be some number.

The Remainder Theorem then points out the connection between division and multiplication. For instance, since 12 ÷ 3 = 4, then 4 × 3 = 12. If you get a remainder, you do the multiplication and then add the remainder back in. For instance, since 13 ÷ 5 = 2 R 3, then 13 = 5 × 2 + 3. This process works the same way with polynomials. That is:

If   ^p(x)/_{(x – a)} = q(x) with remainder r(x),

then  p(x) = (x – a)q(x) + r(x).

(Technically, this is the "Division Algorithm for Polynomials". But the Algorithm is the basis for the Remainder Theorem.)

In terms of our concrete example: Copyright © Elizabeth Stapel 2006-2008 All Rights Reserved

Since  ^{(x3 – 7x – 6)}/_{(x – 4)} = x² + 4x + 9 with remainder 30,

then x³ – 7x – 6 = (x – 4)(x² + 4x + 9) + 30.

Then the Remainder Theorem says that we can restate the polynomial in terms of the divisor, and then evaluate the polynomial at x = a. But when x = a, the factor "x – a" is just zero! Then:

p(a) = (a – a)q(a) + r(a)
       = (0)q(a) + r(a)
       = 0 + r(a)
       = r(a)

But remember that the remainder term r(a) is just a number!  So the value of the polynomial p(x) at
x = a is the same as the remainder when you divide p(x) by x – a. In terms of our concrete example:

p(4) = (4 – 4)((4)² + 4(4) + 9) + 30
       = (0)(16 + 16 + 9) + 30
       = 0 + 30
       = 30

But you gotta think: Okay, fine; the value of the polynomial p(x) at x = a is the remainder r(a) when you divide by x – a, but who wants to do the long division each time you have to evaluate a polynomial at a given value of x?!? You're right; this would be overkill. Fortunately, that's not what they really want you to do.

Remember that, when you are dividing by a linear factor, you can instead use synthetic division, which is much quicker. In our example, we would get:

Note that the last entry in the bottom row is 30, the remainder from the long division (as expected) and also the value of x³ – 7x – 6 at x = 4. This is the point of the Remainder Theorem: that there is a simpler, quicker way to evaluate a polynomial p(x) at a given value of x, and that this simpler way is not to evaluate p(x) at all, but rather to do the synthetic division at that same value of x. Here are some more examples:

• Use the Remainder Theorem to evaluate  f (x) = 6x³ – 5x² + 4x – 17 at x = 3.

First off, even though the Remainder Theorem refers to the polynomial and to long division and to restating the polynomial in terms of a quotient, a divisor, and a remainder, that's not actually what you're meant to be doing.  Instead, you're supposed to be doing synthetic division, using "3" as the divisor:

Since the remainder (the last entry in the row) is 112, then the Remainder Theorem says that
  f (3) = 112.

• Using the Remainder Theorem, find the value of f (–5), for   f (x) = 3x⁴ + 2x³ + 4x.

Do the synthetic division, remembering to put zeroes in for the powers of x that are not included in the polynomial:

Since the remainder is 1605, then, thanks to the Remainder Theorem, we know that
  f (–5) = 1605.

• Use the Remainder Theorem to determine whether x = 2 is a zero of
  f (x) = 3x⁷ – x⁴ + 2x³ – 5x² – 4.

For x = 2 to be a zero of  f (x), then  f (2) must evaluate to zero. In the context of the Remainder Theorem, this means that the remainder, when dividing by x = 2, must be zero:

The remainder is non-zero. Then x = 2 is not a zero of f (x).

• Use the Remainder Theorem to determine whether x = –4 is a solution of
  x⁶ + 5x⁵ + 5x⁴ + 5x³ + 2x² – 10x – 8 = 0.

For x = –4 to be a solution of f (x) = x⁶ + 5x⁵ + 5x⁴ + 5x³ + 2x² – 10x – 8 = 0, it must be that  f (–4) = 0.  In the context of the Remainder Theorem, this means that the remainder, when dividing by x = –4, must be zero:

The remainder is zero. Then x = –4 is a solution of the given equation.

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