Pre-Algebra Examples

$(x^{4} - 10 x^{3} + 31 x^{2} - 13 x - 60) \div (x - 4)$

Step 1

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

$x$

$4$

$x^{4}$

$10 x^{3}$

$31 x^{2}$

$13 x$

$60$

Step 2

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

					$x^{3}$
	$x$	-	$4$		$x^{4}$	-	$10 x^{3}$	+	$31 x^{2}$	-	$13 x$	-	$60$

Step 3

Multiply the new quotient term by the divisor.

				$x^{3}$
$x$	-	$4$		$x^{4}$	-	$10 x^{3}$	+	$31 x^{2}$	-	$13 x$	-	$60$
			+	$x^{4}$	-	$4 x^{3}$

Step 4

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

				$x^{3}$
$x$	-	$4$		$x^{4}$	-	$10 x^{3}$	+	$31 x^{2}$	-	$13 x$	-	$60$
			-	$x^{4}$	+	$4 x^{3}$

Step 5

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

				$x^{3}$
$x$	-	$4$		$x^{4}$	-	$10 x^{3}$	+	$31 x^{2}$	-	$13 x$	-	$60$
			-	$x^{4}$	+	$4 x^{3}$
					-	$6 x^{3}$

Step 6

Pull the next terms from the original dividend down into the current dividend.

$x^{3}$

$x$

$4$

$x^{4}$

$10 x^{3}$

$31 x^{2}$

$13 x$

$60$

$x^{4}$

$4 x^{3}$

$6 x^{3}$

$31 x^{2}$

Step 7

Divide the highest order term in the dividend $- 6 x^{3}$ by the highest order term in divisor $x$ .

$x^{3}$

$6 x^{2}$

$x$

$4$

$x^{4}$

$10 x^{3}$

$31 x^{2}$

$13 x$

$60$

$x^{4}$

$4 x^{3}$

$6 x^{3}$

$31 x^{2}$

Step 8

Multiply the new quotient term by the divisor.

$x^{3}$

$6 x^{2}$

$x$

$4$

$x^{4}$

$10 x^{3}$

$31 x^{2}$

$13 x$

$60$

$x^{4}$

$4 x^{3}$

$6 x^{3}$

$31 x^{2}$

$6 x^{3}$

$24 x^{2}$

Step 9

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

$x^{3}$

$6 x^{2}$

$x$

$4$

$x^{4}$

$10 x^{3}$

$31 x^{2}$

$13 x$

$60$

$x^{4}$

$4 x^{3}$

$6 x^{3}$

$31 x^{2}$

$6 x^{3}$

$24 x^{2}$

Step 10

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

$x^{3}$

$6 x^{2}$

$x$

$4$

$x^{4}$

$10 x^{3}$

$31 x^{2}$

$13 x$

$60$

$x^{4}$

$4 x^{3}$

$6 x^{3}$

$31 x^{2}$

$6 x^{3}$

$24 x^{2}$

$7 x^{2}$

Step 11

Pull the next terms from the original dividend down into the current dividend.

$x^{3}$

$6 x^{2}$

$x$

$4$

$x^{4}$

$10 x^{3}$

$31 x^{2}$

$13 x$

$60$

$x^{4}$

$4 x^{3}$

$6 x^{3}$

$31 x^{2}$

$6 x^{3}$

$24 x^{2}$

$7 x^{2}$

$13 x$

Step 12

Divide the highest order term in the dividend $7 x^{2}$ by the highest order term in divisor $x$ .

$x^{3}$

$6 x^{2}$

$7 x$

$x$

$4$

$x^{4}$

$10 x^{3}$

$31 x^{2}$

$13 x$

$60$

$x^{4}$

$4 x^{3}$

$6 x^{3}$

$31 x^{2}$

$6 x^{3}$

$24 x^{2}$

$7 x^{2}$

$13 x$

Step 13

Multiply the new quotient term by the divisor.

$x^{3}$

$6 x^{2}$

$7 x$

$x$

$4$

$x^{4}$

$10 x^{3}$

$31 x^{2}$

$13 x$

$60$

$x^{4}$

$4 x^{3}$

$6 x^{3}$

$31 x^{2}$

$6 x^{3}$

$24 x^{2}$

$7 x^{2}$

$13 x$

$7 x^{2}$

$28 x$

Step 14

The expression needs to be subtracted from the dividend, so change all the signs in $7 x^{2} - 28 x$

$x^{3}$

$6 x^{2}$

$7 x$

$x$

$4$

$x^{4}$

$10 x^{3}$

$31 x^{2}$

$13 x$

$60$

$x^{4}$

$4 x^{3}$

$6 x^{3}$

$31 x^{2}$

$6 x^{3}$

$24 x^{2}$

$7 x^{2}$

$13 x$

$7 x^{2}$

$28 x$

Step 15

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

$x^{3}$

$6 x^{2}$

$7 x$

$x$

$4$

$x^{4}$

$10 x^{3}$

$31 x^{2}$

$13 x$

$60$

$x^{4}$

$4 x^{3}$

$6 x^{3}$

$31 x^{2}$

$6 x^{3}$

$24 x^{2}$

$7 x^{2}$

$13 x$

$7 x^{2}$

$28 x$

$15 x$

Step 16

Pull the next terms from the original dividend down into the current dividend.

$x^{3}$

$6 x^{2}$

$7 x$

$x$

$4$

$x^{4}$

$10 x^{3}$

$31 x^{2}$

$13 x$

$60$

$x^{4}$

$4 x^{3}$

$6 x^{3}$

$31 x^{2}$

$6 x^{3}$

$24 x^{2}$

$7 x^{2}$

$13 x$

$7 x^{2}$

$28 x$

$15 x$

$60$

Step 17

Divide the highest order term in the dividend $15 x$ by the highest order term in divisor $x$ .

$x^{3}$

$6 x^{2}$

$7 x$

$15$

$x$

$4$

$x^{4}$

$10 x^{3}$

$31 x^{2}$

$13 x$

$60$

$x^{4}$

$4 x^{3}$

$6 x^{3}$

$31 x^{2}$

$6 x^{3}$

$24 x^{2}$

$7 x^{2}$

$13 x$

$7 x^{2}$

$28 x$

$15 x$

$60$

Step 18

Multiply the new quotient term by the divisor.

$x^{3}$

$6 x^{2}$

$7 x$

$15$

$x$

$4$

$x^{4}$

$10 x^{3}$

$31 x^{2}$

$13 x$

$60$

$x^{4}$

$4 x^{3}$

$6 x^{3}$

$31 x^{2}$

$6 x^{3}$

$24 x^{2}$

$7 x^{2}$

$13 x$

$7 x^{2}$

$28 x$

$15 x$

$60$

$15 x$

$60$

Step 19

The expression needs to be subtracted from the dividend, so change all the signs in $15 x - 60$

$x^{3}$

$6 x^{2}$

$7 x$

$15$

$x$

$4$

$x^{4}$

$10 x^{3}$

$31 x^{2}$

$13 x$

$60$

$x^{4}$

$4 x^{3}$

$6 x^{3}$

$31 x^{2}$

$6 x^{3}$

$24 x^{2}$

$7 x^{2}$

$13 x$

$7 x^{2}$

$28 x$

$15 x$

$60$

$15 x$

$60$

Step 20

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

$x^{3}$

$6 x^{2}$

$7 x$

$15$

$x$

$4$

$x^{4}$

$10 x^{3}$

$31 x^{2}$

$13 x$

$60$

$x^{4}$

$4 x^{3}$

$6 x^{3}$

$31 x^{2}$

$6 x^{3}$

$24 x^{2}$

$7 x^{2}$

$13 x$

$7 x^{2}$

$28 x$

$15 x$

$60$

$15 x$

$60$

$0$

Step 21

Since the remander is $0$ , the final answer is the quotient.

$x^{3} - 6 x^{2} + 7 x + 15$