SOLUTION: I am not sure what this question is asking and how to go about solving it? Could you please give me a hint as to where I need to go? I used substitution and arrived at the answer

Algebra ->  Polynomials-and-rational-expressions -> SOLUTION: I am not sure what this question is asking and how to go about solving it? Could you please give me a hint as to where I need to go? I used substitution and arrived at the answer       Log On


   

Question 312425: I am not sure what this question is asking and how to go about solving it?
Could you please give me a hint as to where I need to go? I used substitution and arrived at the answer but it is asking me to use synthetic division and i am getting a wrong answer. Thank you.
P(x)=3x^5-2x^4+3x^2-2x-5
Find the P(-1) using synthetic division. Be sure to show that you used synthetic division. (This is how the question reads.)Again, Thank you.
Tina
Answer by Fombitz(32388) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
I'm not sure why(or even how) you'd use synthetic division to solve for P(-1)?
Why not just substitute -1 for x in the equation P(x)?
P%28x%29=3x%5E5-2x%5E4%2B3x%5E2-2x-5+
P%28-1%29=3%28-1%29%5E5-2%28-1%29%5E4%2B3%28-1%29%5E2-2%28-1%29-5
P%28-1%29=-3-2%2B3%2B2-5
highlight_green%28P%28-1%29=-5%29