Precalculus Examples

$x^{4} - 3 x^{2} - 4$

Step 1

If a polynomial function has integer coefficients, then every rational zero will have the form $\frac{p}{q}$ where $p$ is a factor of the constant and $q$ is a factor of the leading coefficient.

$p = \pm 1, \pm 2, \pm 4$

$q = \pm 1$

Step 2

Find every combination of $\pm \frac{p}{q}$ . These are the possible roots of the polynomial function.

$\pm 1, \pm 2, \pm 4$

Step 3

Substitute the possible roots one by one into the polynomial to find the actual roots. Simplify to check if the value is $0$ , which means it is a root.

${(2)}^{4} - 3 {(2)}^{2} - 4$

Step 4

Simplify the expression. In this case, the expression is equal to $0$ so $x = 2$ is a root of the polynomial.

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Step 4.1

Simplify each term.

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Step 4.1.1

Raise $2$ to the power of $4$ .

$16 - 3 {(2)}^{2} - 4$

Step 4.1.2

Raise $2$ to the power of $2$ .

$16 - 3 \cdot 4 - 4$

Step 4.1.3

Multiply $- 3$ by $4$ .

$16 - 12 - 4$

Step 4.2

Simplify by subtracting numbers.

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Step 4.2.1

Subtract $12$ from $16$ .

$4 - 4$

Step 4.2.2

Subtract $4$ from $4$ .

$0$

Step 5

Since $2$ is a known root, divide the polynomial by $x - 2$ to find the quotient polynomial. This polynomial can then be used to find the remaining roots.

$\frac{x^{4} - 3 x^{2} - 4}{x - 2}$

Step 6

Next, find the roots of the remaining polynomial. The order of the polynomial has been reduced by $1$ .

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Step 6.1

Place the numbers representing the divisor and the dividend into a division-like configuration.

$2$	$1$	$0$	$- 3$	$0$	$- 4$

Step 6.2

The first number in the dividend $(1)$ is put into the first position of the result area (below the horizontal line).

$2$	$1$	$0$	$- 3$	$0$	$- 4$

	$1$

Step 6.3

Multiply the newest entry in the result $(1)$ by the divisor $(2)$ and place the result of $(2)$ under the next term in the dividend $(0)$ .

$2$	$1$	$0$	$- 3$	$0$	$- 4$
		$2$
	$1$

Step 6.4

Add the product of the multiplication and the number from the dividend and put the result in the next position on the result line.

$2$	$1$	$0$	$- 3$	$0$	$- 4$
		$2$
	$1$	$2$

Step 6.5

Multiply the newest entry in the result $(2)$ by the divisor $(2)$ and place the result of $(4)$ under the next term in the dividend $(- 3)$ .

$2$	$1$	$0$	$- 3$	$0$	$- 4$
		$2$	$4$
	$1$	$2$

Step 6.6

Add the product of the multiplication and the number from the dividend and put the result in the next position on the result line.

$2$	$1$	$0$	$- 3$	$0$	$- 4$
		$2$	$4$
	$1$	$2$	$1$

Step 6.7

Multiply the newest entry in the result $(1)$ by the divisor $(2)$ and place the result of $(2)$ under the next term in the dividend $(0)$ .

$2$	$1$	$0$	$- 3$	$0$	$- 4$
		$2$	$4$	$2$
	$1$	$2$	$1$

Step 6.8

Add the product of the multiplication and the number from the dividend and put the result in the next position on the result line.

$2$	$1$	$0$	$- 3$	$0$	$- 4$
		$2$	$4$	$2$
	$1$	$2$	$1$	$2$

Step 6.9

Multiply the newest entry in the result $(2)$ by the divisor $(2)$ and place the result of $(4)$ under the next term in the dividend $(- 4)$ .

$2$	$1$	$0$	$- 3$	$0$	$- 4$
		$2$	$4$	$2$	$4$
	$1$	$2$	$1$	$2$

Step 6.10

Add the product of the multiplication and the number from the dividend and put the result in the next position on the result line.

$2$	$1$	$0$	$- 3$	$0$	$- 4$
		$2$	$4$	$2$	$4$
	$1$	$2$	$1$	$2$	$0$

Step 6.11

All numbers except the last become the coefficients of the quotient polynomial. The last value in the result line is the remainder.

$1 x^{3} + 2 x^{2} + (1) x + 2$

Step 6.12

Simplify the quotient polynomial.

$x^{3} + 2 x^{2} + x + 2$

Step 7

Factor out the greatest common factor from each group.

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Step 7.1

Group the first two terms and the last two terms.

$(x - 2) (x^{3} + 2 x^{2}) + x + 2$

Step 7.2

Factor out the greatest common factor (GCF) from each group.

$(x - 2) + x^{2} (x + 2) + 1 (x + 2)$

$(x - 2) x^{2} (x + 2) + 1 (x + 2)$

Step 8

Factor the polynomial by factoring out the greatest common factor, $x + 2$ .

$(x - 2) (x + 2) (x^{2} + 1)$

Step 9

Substitute $u = x^{2}$ into the equation. This will make the quadratic formula easy to use.

$u^{2} - 3 u - 4 = 0$

$u = x^{2}$

Step 10

Factor $u^{2} - 3 u - 4$ using the AC method.

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Step 10.1

Consider the form $x^{2} + b x + c$ . Find a pair of integers whose product is $c$ and whose sum is $b$ . In this case, whose product is $- 4$ and whose sum is $- 3$ .

$- 4, 1$

Step 10.2

Write the factored form using these integers.

$(u - 4) (u + 1) = 0$

Step 11

If any individual factor on the left side of the equation is equal to $0$ , the entire expression will be equal to $0$ .

$u - 4 = 0$

$u + 1 = 0$

Step 12

Set $u - 4$ equal to $0$ and solve for $u$ .

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Step 12.1

Set $u - 4$ equal to $0$ .

$u - 4 = 0$

Step 12.2

Add $4$ to both sides of the equation.

$u = 4$

Step 13

Set $u + 1$ equal to $0$ and solve for $u$ .

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Step 13.1

Set $u + 1$ equal to $0$ .

$u + 1 = 0$

Step 13.2

Subtract $1$ from both sides of the equation.

$u = - 1$

Step 14

The final solution is all the values that make $(u - 4) (u + 1) = 0$ true.

$u = 4, - 1$

Step 15

Substitute the real value of $u = x^{2}$ back into the solved equation.

$x^{2} = 4$

${(x^{2})}^{1} = - 1$

Step 16

Solve the first equation for $x$ .

$x^{2} = 4$

Step 17

Solve the equation for $x$ .

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Step 17.1

Take the specified root of both sides of the equation to eliminate the exponent on the left side.

$x = \pm \sqrt{4}$

Step 17.2

Simplify $\pm \sqrt{4}$ .

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Step 17.2.1

Rewrite $4$ as $2^{2}$ .

$x = \pm \sqrt{2^{2}}$

Step 17.2.2

Pull terms out from under the radical, assuming positive real numbers.

$x = \pm 2$

Step 17.3

The complete solution is the result of both the positive and negative portions of the solution.

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Step 17.3.1

First, use the positive value of the $\pm$ to find the first solution.

$x = 2$

Step 17.3.2

Next, use the negative value of the $\pm$ to find the second solution.

$x = - 2$

Step 17.3.3

The complete solution is the result of both the positive and negative portions of the solution.

$x = 2, - 2$

Step 18

Solve the second equation for $x$ .

${(x^{2})}^{1} = - 1$

Step 19

Solve the equation for $x$ .

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Step 19.1

Remove parentheses.

$x^{2} = - 1$

Step 19.2

Take the specified root of both sides of the equation to eliminate the exponent on the left side.

$x = \pm \sqrt{- 1}$

Step 19.3

Rewrite $\sqrt{- 1}$ as $i$ .

$x = \pm i$

Step 19.4

The complete solution is the result of both the positive and negative portions of the solution.

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Step 19.4.1

First, use the positive value of the $\pm$ to find the first solution.

$x = i$

Step 19.4.2

Next, use the negative value of the $\pm$ to find the second solution.

$x = - i$

Step 19.4.3

The complete solution is the result of both the positive and negative portions of the solution.

$x = i, - i$

Step 20

The solution to $x^{4} - 3 x^{2} - 4 = 0$ is $x = 2, - 2, i, - i$ .

$x = 2, - 2, i, - i$

Step 21