document.write( "Question 8009: please help me solve this equation : (2x^3-3x^2-18x-8)/(x-4) \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #4397 by glabow(165) $\"\"$ $\"About$

You can put this solution on YOUR website!
First, you don't have an equation. You have an expression. Rather than solving, you simplify an expression. So, you want to divide the expression
\n" ); document.write( " $\"2x%5E3-3x%5E2-18x-8\"$ by $\"x-4\"$
\n" ); document.write( "You can do this be polynomial division or by synthetic division. They are really the same thing, but synthetic division is easier to do.\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "The steps are: write down the coefficients of the terms. Divide them by the constant part of the binomial divisor by multiplying each coefficient by the constant and subtracting it from the next lower coefficient. The results of each subtraction is the coefficient of the next lower exponent of the quotient.
\n" ); document.write( "I'll try to show this below. You might want to look up synthetic division (and synthetic substitution) and practice it with a text or a tutorial.\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "-4 divided into 2....-3....-18....-8
\n" ); document.write( ".................................0...-8....-20....-8
\n" ); document.write( ".................................2.....5........2........0 remainder\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So the quotient is $\"2x%5E2%2B5x%2B2\"$ with no remainder
\n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "

\n" );