SAT Math : Factoring Polynomials

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SAT Math

varsity tutors app store varsity tutors android store varsity tutors amazon store varsity tutors ibooks store

例子Questions

例子Question #1 :Factoring Polynomials

What is a possible value for x in x2– 12x + 36 = 0 ?

Possible Answers:

6

2

There is not enough information

–6

Correct answer:

6

Explanation:

You need to factor to find the possible values for x. You need to fill in the blanks with two numbers with a sum of -12 and a product of 36. In both sets of parenthesis, you know you will be subtracting since a negative times a negative is a positive and a negative plus a negative is a negative

(x –__)(x –__).

You should realize that 6 fits into both blanks.

You must now set each set of parenthesis equal to 0.

x – 6 = 0; x – 6 = 0

Solve both equations: x = 6

例子Question #1 :Algebra

If r and t are constants and x2+rx +6=(x+2)(x+t), what is the value of r?

Possible Answers:

5

It cannot be determined from the given information.

7

6

Correct answer:

5

Explanation:

We first expand the right hand side as x2+2x+tx+2t and factor out the x terms to get x2+(2+t)x+2t. Next we set this equal to the original left hand side to get x2+rx +6=x2+(2+t)x+2t, and then we subtract x2from each side to get rx +6=(2+t)x+2t. Since the coefficients of the x terms on each side must be equal, and the constant terms on each side must be equal, we find that r=2+t and 6=2t, so t is equal to 3 and r is equal to 5.

例子Question #1 :Algebra

Solve forx:

2x^2-4=3 +5

Possible Answers:

12

\pm \sqrt{12}

\sqrt{6}

6

\pm \sqrt{6}

Correct answer:

\pm \sqrt{6}

Explanation:

2x^2-4=3 +5

First, add 4 to both sides:

Divide both sides by 2:

例子Question #21 :Polynomials

Letandbe integers, such that. Ifand, then what is?

Possible Answers:

Cannot be determined

Correct answer:

Explanation:

We are told that x3- y3= 56. We can factor the left side of the equation using the formula for difference of cubes.

x3- y3= (x - y)(x2+ xy + y2) = 56

Since x - y = 2, we can substitute this value in for the factor x - y.

2(x2+ xy + y2) = 56

Divide both sides by 2.

x2+ xy + y2= 28

因为我们正试图找到x2+ y2, if we can get rid of xy, then we would have our answer.

We are told that 3xy = 24. If we divide both sides by 3, we see that xy = 8.

We can then substitute this value into the equation x2+ xy + y2= 28.

x2+ 8 + y2= 28

Subtract both sides by eight.

x2+ y2= 20.

The answer is 20.

ALTERNATE SOLUTION:

We are told that x - y = 2 and 3xy = 24. This is a system of equations.

If we solve the first equation in terms of x, we can then substitute this into the second equation.

x - y = 2

Add y to both sides.

x = y + 2

Now we will substitute this value for x into the second equation.

3(y+2)(y) = 24

Now we can divide both sides by three.

(y+2)(y) = 8

Then we distribute.

y2+ 2y = 8

Subtract 8 from both sides.

y2+ 2y - 8 = 0

We need to factor this by thinking of two numbers that multiply to give -8 but add to give 2. These numbers are 4 and -2.

(y + 4)(y - 2) = 0

This means either y - 4 = 0, or y + 2 = 0

y = -4, or y = 2

Because x = y + 2, if y = -4, then x must be -2. Similarly, if y = 2, then x must be 4.

Let's see which combination of x and y will satisfy the final equation that we haven't used, x3- y3= 56.

If x = -2 and y = -4, then

(-2)3- (-4)3= -8 - (-64) = 56. So that means that x= -2 and y = -4 is a valid solution.

If x = 4 and y = 2, then

(4)3- 23= 64 - 8 = 56. So that means x = 4 and y = 2 is also a valid solution.

The final value we are asked to find is x2+ y2.

If x= -2 and y = -4, then x2+ y2= (-2)2+ (-4)2= 4 + 16 = 20.

If x = 4 and y = 2, then x2+ y2= (4)2+ 22= 16 + 4 = 20.

Thus, no matter which solution we use for x and y, x2+ y2= 20.

The answer is 20.

例子Question #1 :Factoring Polynomials

How many negative solutions are there to the equation below?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

First, subtract 3 from both sides in order to obtain an equation that equals 0:

The left side can be factored. We need factors ofthat add up to.andwork:

Set both factors equal to 0 and solve:

To solve the left equation, add 1 to both sides. To solve the right equation, subtract 3 from both sides. This yields two solutions:

Only one of these solutions is negative, so the answer is 1.

例子Question #1 :Factoring Polynomials

2x + 3y = 5a + 2b (1)

3x + 2y = 4a – b (2)

Express x2– y2in terms of a and b

Possible Answers:

(–9a2– 27ab +3b2) / 5

–〖9a〗2+ 27ab +〖3b〗2) / 5

–〖9a〗2+ 26ab –〖3b〗2) / 5

(–9a2– 28ab –3b2) / 5

〖–9a〗2+ 26ab +〖3b〗2) / 5

Correct answer:

(–9a2– 28ab –3b2) / 5

Explanation:

Add the two equations together to yield 5x + 5y = 9a + b, then factor out 5 to get 5(x + y) = 9a + b; divide both sides by 5 to get x + y = (9a + b)/5; subtract the two equations to get x - y = -a - 3b. So, x2– y2= (x + y)(x – y) = (9a + b)/5 (–a – 3b) = (–[(9a)]2– 28ab – [(3b)]2)/5

例子Question #7 :Factoring Polynomials

If the polynomial

is divided by

,

what is the remainder?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

By the Remainder Theorem, if a polynomialis divided by a binomial, the remainder is.

Let. Setting, ifis divided by, the remainder is, which can be evaluated by settingin the definition ofand evaluating:

例子Question #8 :Factoring Polynomials

Which of the following is a factor of the polynomial?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Call

By the Rational Zeroes Theorem, sincehas only integer coefficients, any rational solution ofmust be a factor of 54 divided by a factor of 1 - positive or negative. 54 has as its factors 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 18, 27 , 54; 1 has only itself as a factor. Therefore, the rational solutions ofmust be chosen from this set:

.

By the Factor Theorem, a polynomialis divisible byif and only if- that is, ifis a zero. By the preceding result, we can immediately eliminateandas factors, since 12 and 16 have been eliminated as possible zeroes.

Of the three remaining choices, we can demonstrate thatis the factor by evaluating:

, sois a factor.

Of the remaining two choices,and, both can be proved to not be factors by showing thatandare both nonzero:

, sois not a factor.

, sois not a factor.

例子Question #9 :Factoring Polynomials

If the polynomial

is divided by

,

what is the remainder?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

By the Remainder Theorem, if a polynomialis divided by a binomial, the remainder is.

Let. Setting(since), ifis divided by, the remainder is, which can be evaluated by settingin the definition ofand evaluating:

Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors