Factor Theorem

[InsertNameHere]

How do you do this

"Use Factor Theorem to factor each polynomial completely"

f(x)=2x^4-5x^3-11x^2+20x+12

If you could show me that'd be great.....

 

[Daniel_Feldman]

Are you given any factors, or are you allowed to use a graphing calculator, or neither?

 

[InsertNameHere]

Graphgin calc is ok but no factors.

 

[Daniel_Feldman]

Well, you can graph it and get all four factors, but that's no fun.

Basically, what the Factor Theorem says is that if you have a polynomial function f(x) and f(c)=0, then (x-c) is a factor of f.

In this case, you could graph it and see all four factors, or you could just see that one of the factors is (for example) (x-2).

You can then use synthetic division to break down the polynomial by a degree, and work through this process again.