# Math Help - Polynomial Division Hand-Holding Needed!

1. ## Polynomial Division Hand-Holding Needed!

Hi all, I have the following Polynomial Division question and not sure if I'm heading in the right direction with it. Its getting more complicated than my lessons have shown but here goes

$3x^3- 5x^2 +10x +4 / 3x+1$

So I've divided the highest power of $3x^3$ by 3x and got $x^2$ which I've put above the
$5x^2" alt="5x^2" />

I've then multiplied the
$x^2$ by 3x + 1 to get $3x^3 + x^2$ and added this underneath and subtracted to give me a new remainder of $-4x^2 +10x +4$

I've then taken the highest power of the remainder (
$-4x^2$) and divided by highest power of the divisor (3x) which gives me $\frac{4x}{3}" alt="\frac{4x}{3}" />

I'm almost certain this is getting to complicated and thus I've gone wrong somewhere. Would someone mind letting me know if I'm on the right path please?

Thanks

2. ## Re: Polynomial Division Hand-Holding Needed!

and can anyone tell me why my TEX code is messed up in places please :-)

3. ## Re: Polynomial Division Hand-Holding Needed!

Originally Posted by johncassell
I've then multiplied the $x^2$ by 3x + 1 to get $3x^3 + x^2$ and added this underneath and subtracted to give me a new remainder of $-4x^2 +10x +4$
This is where your mistake is, you should get $-6x^2+10x+4$

4. ## Re: Polynomial Division Hand-Holding Needed!

thank you very much. Maybe I shouldn't be doing Polynomial Division if I still haven't grasped that -5 - 1 = -6 :-)

Thanks again!
John

5. ## Re: Polynomial Division Hand-Holding Needed!

Originally Posted by johncassell
and can anyone tell me why my TEX code is messed up in places please :-)
You appear to have a number of errors in your color statements. Take this as an example: [/COLOR][COLOR=#333333][TEX]3x^3 + x^2[/TEX] [/COLOR][COLOR=#333333] .

-Dan

6. ## Re: Polynomial Division Hand-Holding Needed!

This is a simple division.It takes practice with several examples.Quotient is
x^2-2x+4