document.write( "Question 143720: Someone, PLEASE HELP, this is a problem i have never seen before. i would appeciate any help just to get started.\r
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Algebra.Com's Answer #104586 by Edwin McCravy(20060)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Someone, PLEASE HELP, this is a problem i have never seen before. i would appeciate any help just to get started.
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document.write( "There are two methods to find \"P%28-1%2F2%29\"\r\n" );
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document.write( "First method:  by straight-forward plugging in \"-1%2F2\" for x\r\n" );
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document.write( "\"P%28x%29+=+2x%5E4+%2B+x%5E3+%2B+12\"\r\n" );
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document.write( "\"P%281%2F2%29+=+2%28-1%2F2%29%5E4+%2B+%28-1%2F2%29%5E3+%2B+12\"\r\n" );
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document.write( "\"P%281%2F2%29+=+2%281%2F16%29+%2B+%28-1%2F8%29+%2B+12\"\r\n" );
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document.write( "\"P%281%2F2%29+=+1%2F8+-+1%2F8+%2B+12\"\r\n" );
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document.write( "\"P%281%2F2%29+=+12\"\r\n" );
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document.write( "Second method:  by synthetic division and the remainder\r\n" );
document.write( "theorem which says that you get the same answer when you\r\n" );
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document.write( "1. plug a number directly into a polynomial \r\n" );
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document.write( "as you get when you\r\n" );
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document.write( "2. write that number to the left of a synthetic division,\r\n" );
document.write( "do the synthetic division, and take only the remainder,\r\n" );
document.write( "which is the rightmost number on the bottom line of the\r\n" );
document.write( "synthetic division. \r\n" );
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document.write( "Notice that since the \"x%5E2\" and \"x\" terms are \r\n" );
document.write( "missing in the original polynomial, we have to insert\r\n" );
document.write( "0's for them as placeholders:\r\n" );
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document.write( "\"-1%2F2\" | 2    1    0    0   12\r\n" );
document.write( "     |     -1    0    0    0\r\n" );
document.write( "      ----------------------\r\n" );
document.write( "       2    0    0    0   12\r\n" );
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document.write( "The last number on the right \"12\" is the remainder\r\n" );
document.write( "which by the remainder theorem is \"P%281%2F2%29\"\r\n" );
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document.write( "Edwin
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