Algebra Examples Simplifying Polynomials

Divide

$x^{4} + 3 x^{2} - 5$ , $x^{2} + 4 x$

Step 1

Divide the first expression by the second expression.

$\frac{x^{4} + 3 x^{2} - 5}{x^{2} + 4 x}$

Step 2

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

$x^{2}$

$4 x$

$0$

$x^{4}$

$0 x^{3}$

$3 x^{2}$

$0 x$

$5$

Step 3

Divide the highest order term in the dividend $x^{4}$ by the highest order term in divisor $x^{2}$ .

$x^{2}$

$4 x$

$0$

$x^{4}$

$0 x^{3}$

$3 x^{2}$

$0 x$

$5$

Step 4

Multiply the new quotient term by the divisor.

$x^{2}$

$4 x$

$0$

$x^{4}$

$0 x^{3}$

$3 x^{2}$

$0 x$

$5$

$x^{4}$

$4 x^{3}$

$0$

Step 5

The expression needs to be subtracted from the dividend, so change all the signs in $x^{4} + 4 x^{3} + 0$

$x^{2}$

$4 x$

$0$

$x^{4}$

$0 x^{3}$

$3 x^{2}$

$0 x$

$5$

$x^{4}$

$4 x^{3}$

$0$

Step 6

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

$x^{2}$

$4 x$

$0$

$x^{4}$

$0 x^{3}$

$3 x^{2}$

$0 x$

$5$

$x^{4}$

$4 x^{3}$

$0$

$4 x^{3}$

$3 x^{2}$

Step 7

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

$x^{2}$

$4 x$

$0$

$x^{4}$

$0 x^{3}$

$3 x^{2}$

$0 x$

$5$

$x^{4}$

$4 x^{3}$

$0$

$4 x^{3}$

$3 x^{2}$

$0 x$

Step 8

Divide the highest order term in the dividend $- 4 x^{3}$ by the highest order term in divisor $x^{2}$ .

$x^{2}$

$4 x$

$x^{2}$

$4 x$

$0$

$x^{4}$

$0 x^{3}$

$3 x^{2}$

$0 x$

$5$

$x^{4}$

$4 x^{3}$

$0$

$4 x^{3}$

$3 x^{2}$

$0 x$

Step 9

Multiply the new quotient term by the divisor.

$x^{2}$

$4 x$

$x^{2}$

$4 x$

$0$

$x^{4}$

$0 x^{3}$

$3 x^{2}$

$0 x$

$5$

$x^{4}$

$4 x^{3}$

$0$

$4 x^{3}$

$3 x^{2}$

$0 x$

$4 x^{3}$

$16 x^{2}$

$0$

Step 10

The expression needs to be subtracted from the dividend, so change all the signs in $- 4 x^{3} - 16 x^{2} + 0$

$x^{2}$

$4 x$

$x^{2}$

$4 x$

$0$

$x^{4}$

$0 x^{3}$

$3 x^{2}$

$0 x$

$5$

$x^{4}$

$4 x^{3}$

$0$

$4 x^{3}$

$3 x^{2}$

$0 x$

$4 x^{3}$

$16 x^{2}$

$0$

Step 11

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

$x^{2}$

$4 x$

$x^{2}$

$4 x$

$0$

$x^{4}$

$0 x^{3}$

$3 x^{2}$

$0 x$

$5$

$x^{4}$

$4 x^{3}$

$0$

$4 x^{3}$

$3 x^{2}$

$0 x$

$4 x^{3}$

$16 x^{2}$

$0$

$19 x^{2}$

$0$

Step 12

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

$x^{2}$

$4 x$

$x^{2}$

$4 x$

$0$

$x^{4}$

$0 x^{3}$

$3 x^{2}$

$0 x$

$5$

$x^{4}$

$4 x^{3}$

$0$

$4 x^{3}$

$3 x^{2}$

$0 x$

$4 x^{3}$

$16 x^{2}$

$0$

$19 x^{2}$

$0$

$5$

Step 13

Divide the highest order term in the dividend $19 x^{2}$ by the highest order term in divisor $x^{2}$ .

$x^{2}$

$4 x$

$19$

$x^{2}$

$4 x$

$0$

$x^{4}$

$0 x^{3}$

$3 x^{2}$

$0 x$

$5$

$x^{4}$

$4 x^{3}$

$0$

$4 x^{3}$

$3 x^{2}$

$0 x$

$4 x^{3}$

$16 x^{2}$

$0$

$19 x^{2}$

$0$

$5$

Step 14

Multiply the new quotient term by the divisor.

$x^{2}$

$4 x$

$19$

$x^{2}$

$4 x$

$0$

$x^{4}$

$0 x^{3}$

$3 x^{2}$

$0 x$

$5$

$x^{4}$

$4 x^{3}$

$0$

$4 x^{3}$

$3 x^{2}$

$0 x$

$4 x^{3}$

$16 x^{2}$

$0$

$19 x^{2}$

$0$

$5$

$19 x^{2}$

$76 x$

$0$

Step 15

The expression needs to be subtracted from the dividend, so change all the signs in $19 x^{2} + 76 x + 0$

$x^{2}$

$4 x$

$19$

$x^{2}$

$4 x$

$0$

$x^{4}$

$0 x^{3}$

$3 x^{2}$

$0 x$

$5$

$x^{4}$

$4 x^{3}$

$0$

$4 x^{3}$

$3 x^{2}$

$0 x$

$4 x^{3}$

$16 x^{2}$

$0$

$19 x^{2}$

$0$

$5$

$19 x^{2}$

$76 x$

$0$

Step 16

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

						$x^{2}$	-	$4 x$	+	$19$
$x^{2}$	+	$4 x$	+	$0$		$x^{4}$	+	$0 x^{3}$	+	$3 x^{2}$	+	$0 x$	-	$5$
					-	$x^{4}$	-	$4 x^{3}$	-	$0$
							-	$4 x^{3}$	+	$3 x^{2}$	+	$0 x$
							+	$4 x^{3}$	+	$16 x^{2}$	-	$0$
									+	$19 x^{2}$	+	$0$	-	$5$
									-	$19 x^{2}$	-	$76 x$	-	$0$
											-	$76 x$	-	$5$

Step 17

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

$x^{2} - 4 x + 19 + \frac{- 76 x - 5}{x^{2} + 4 x}$

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