Pre-Algebra Examples

$\frac{m^{3} - m^{2} - 12 m + 22}{m^{2} + 2 m - 4}$

Step 1

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

$m^{2}$

$2 m$

$4$

$m^{3}$

$m^{2}$

$12 m$

$22$

Step 2

Divide the highest order term in the dividend $m^{3}$ by the highest order term in divisor $m^{2}$ .

$m$

$m^{2}$

$2 m$

$4$

$m^{3}$

$m^{2}$

$12 m$

$22$

Step 3

Multiply the new quotient term by the divisor.

$m$

$m^{2}$

$2 m$

$4$

$m^{3}$

$m^{2}$

$12 m$

$22$

$m^{3}$

$2 m^{2}$

$4 m$

Step 4

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

$m$

$m^{2}$

$2 m$

$4$

$m^{3}$

$m^{2}$

$12 m$

$22$

$m^{3}$

$2 m^{2}$

$4 m$

Step 5

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

$m$

$m^{2}$

$2 m$

$4$

$m^{3}$

$m^{2}$

$12 m$

$22$

$m^{3}$

$2 m^{2}$

$4 m$

$3 m^{2}$

$8 m$

Step 6

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

						$m$
$m^{2}$	+	$2 m$	-	$4$		$m^{3}$	-	$m^{2}$	-	$12 m$	+	$22$
					-	$m^{3}$	-	$2 m^{2}$	+	$4 m$
							-	$3 m^{2}$	-	$8 m$	+	$22$

Step 7

Divide the highest order term in the dividend $- 3 m^{2}$ by the highest order term in divisor $m^{2}$ .

						$m$	-	$3$
$m^{2}$	+	$2 m$	-	$4$		$m^{3}$	-	$m^{2}$	-	$12 m$	+	$22$
					-	$m^{3}$	-	$2 m^{2}$	+	$4 m$
							-	$3 m^{2}$	-	$8 m$	+	$22$

Step 8

Multiply the new quotient term by the divisor.

						$m$	-	$3$
$m^{2}$	+	$2 m$	-	$4$		$m^{3}$	-	$m^{2}$	-	$12 m$	+	$22$
					-	$m^{3}$	-	$2 m^{2}$	+	$4 m$
							-	$3 m^{2}$	-	$8 m$	+	$22$
							-	$3 m^{2}$	-	$6 m$	+	$12$

Step 9

The expression needs to be subtracted from the dividend, so change all the signs in $- 3 m^{2} - 6 m + 12$

						$m$	-	$3$
$m^{2}$	+	$2 m$	-	$4$		$m^{3}$	-	$m^{2}$	-	$12 m$	+	$22$
					-	$m^{3}$	-	$2 m^{2}$	+	$4 m$
							-	$3 m^{2}$	-	$8 m$	+	$22$
							+	$3 m^{2}$	+	$6 m$	-	$12$

Step 10

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

						$m$	-	$3$
$m^{2}$	+	$2 m$	-	$4$		$m^{3}$	-	$m^{2}$	-	$12 m$	+	$22$
					-	$m^{3}$	-	$2 m^{2}$	+	$4 m$
							-	$3 m^{2}$	-	$8 m$	+	$22$
							+	$3 m^{2}$	+	$6 m$	-	$12$
									-	$2 m$	+	$10$

Step 11

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

$m - 3 + \frac{- 2 m + 10}{m^{2} + 2 m - 4}$