Finite Math Examples

$\frac{x^{4} - 3 x^{3} - 21 x^{2} + 43 x + 60}{x^{4} - 6 x^{3} + x^{2} + 24 x - 20}$

Step 1

Set up the polynomials to be divided. If there is not a term for every exponent, insert one with a value of $0$ .

$x^{4}$

$6 x^{3}$

$x^{2}$

$24 x$

$20$

$x^{4}$

$3 x^{3}$

$21 x^{2}$

$43 x$

$60$

Step 2

Divide the highest order term in the dividend $x^{4}$ by the highest order term in divisor $x^{4}$ .

$1$

$x^{4}$

$6 x^{3}$

$x^{2}$

$24 x$

$20$

$x^{4}$

$3 x^{3}$

$21 x^{2}$

$43 x$

$60$

Step 3

Multiply the new quotient term by the divisor.

$1$

$x^{4}$

$6 x^{3}$

$x^{2}$

$24 x$

$20$

$x^{4}$

$3 x^{3}$

$21 x^{2}$

$43 x$

$60$

$x^{4}$

$6 x^{3}$

$x^{2}$

$24 x$

$20$

Step 4

The expression needs to be subtracted from the dividend, so change all the signs in $x^{4} - 6 x^{3} + x^{2} + 24 x - 20$

$1$

$x^{4}$

$6 x^{3}$

$x^{2}$

$24 x$

$20$

$x^{4}$

$3 x^{3}$

$21 x^{2}$

$43 x$

$60$

$x^{4}$

$6 x^{3}$

$x^{2}$

$24 x$

$20$

Step 5

After changing the signs, add the last dividend from the multiplied polynomial to find the new dividend.

$1$

$x^{4}$

$6 x^{3}$

$x^{2}$

$24 x$

$20$

$x^{4}$

$3 x^{3}$

$21 x^{2}$

$43 x$

$60$

$x^{4}$

$6 x^{3}$

$x^{2}$

$24 x$

$20$

$3 x^{3}$

$22 x^{2}$

$19 x$

$80$

Step 6

The final answer is the quotient plus the remainder over the divisor.

$1 + \frac{3 x^{3} - 22 x^{2} + 19 x + 80}{x^{4} - 6 x^{3} + x^{2} + 24 x - 20}$