Polynomials (CIE A Level Maths: Pure 3)

Exam Questions

5 hours62 questions
1
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5 marks

Expand and simplify

(i)
left parenthesis 2 x plus 3 right parenthesis left parenthesis x minus 4 right parenthesis 
(ii)
2 p left parenthesis p plus 3 right parenthesis left parenthesis p minus 2 right parenthesis 
(iii)
left parenthesis y minus 1 right parenthesis left parenthesis y minus 2 right parenthesis squared 

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2
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2 marks

Use the factor theorem to verify that left parenthesis x minus 2 right parenthesis space is a factor of x cubed minus x squared minus 14 x plus 24.

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3
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4 marks

Factorise

(i)
4 x squared minus 4 x minus 15 
(ii)
3 x cubed plus 11 x squared minus 4 x  

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4
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4 marks

Divide x cubed plus 6 x squared plus 11 x plus 6 by  left parenthesis x plus 2 right parenthesis.

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5
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6 marks

Given straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals x cubed minus 5 x squared minus 2 x plus 24 has a root at x equals 3, fully factorise straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis.

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6
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4 marks

Use polynomial division to show that left parenthesis x minus 2 right parenthesis space is a factor of 2 x cubed plus 3 x squared minus 18 x plus 8.

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7
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4 marks

Given x equals negative 2 space is a root of the function straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals x cubed minus 3 x squared minus 8 x plus 4, fully factorise straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis.

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8
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3 marks

Given that left parenthesis x minus 4 right parenthesis space is a factor of x cubed minus k x squared minus 4 x plus 16, find the value of k.

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9
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4 marks

Given that x equals 1 half is a root of the function straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals 2 x cubed plus left parenthesis p squared plus 1 right parenthesis x squared minus 11 x plus 4, find the possible values of space p.

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10a
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4 marks

Given that left parenthesis x plus 1 right parenthesis space is a factor of straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals x cubed minus 5 x squared plus 3 x plus 9, fully factorise straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis.

10b
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3 marks

Sketch the graph of y equals straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis, labelling the coordinates of all points where the graph intersects the coordinate axes.

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11
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4 marks

Find the remainder when x cubed minus 7 x minus 6 is divided by left parenthesis x plus 4 right parenthesis.

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12
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5 marks

The function straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis is given by straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals x to the power of 4 plus a x cubed minus 13 x squared minus 38 x minus 4 b, where a and b are constants.

Given that both left parenthesis x plus 1 right parenthesis and left parenthesis x plus 2 right parenthesis are factors of straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis find the values of a and b.

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13a
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2 marks

The function straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis is given by    straight f open parentheses x close parentheses equals 2 x cubed plus 7 x squared minus 4 x.

Show that straight f open parentheses x close parentheses equals x left parenthesis 2 x minus 1 right parenthesis left parenthesis x plus 4 right parenthesis.

13b
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2 marks

Hence, or otherwise, write down the real solutions to the equation

fraction numerator straight f open parentheses straight x close parentheses over denominator x plus 1 end fraction equals 0.

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14a
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2 marks

The function straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis is given by

straight f open parentheses x close parentheses equals x cubed minus 4 x squared minus 7 x plus 10

Work out space straight f left parenthesis 1 right parenthesis spaceand hence write down a factor of straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis.

14b
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2 marks

Work out  straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis divided by left parenthesis x plus 2 right parenthesis.

14c
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3 marks

Write straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis in the form left parenthesis x plus a right parenthesis left parenthesis x plus b right parenthesis left parenthesis x plus c right parenthesis where a comma space b and c are integers to be found.

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15
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3 marks

Find the remainder when x cubed plus 2 x squared minus 5 x plus 8  is divided by space left parenthesis x minus 3 right parenthesis.

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16a
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3 marks

Given that space left parenthesis x squared minus 8 x minus 20 right parenthesis divided by left parenthesis x minus 2 right parenthesis equals A x plus B plus fraction numerator C over denominator x space minus space 2 end fraction

where A comma space B and C are integer constants.

In terms of A comma space B and/or C as appropriate

i)
write down the divisor,
ii)
write down the quotient,
iii)
write down the remainder.
16b
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4 marks

Find the values of A comma space B and C.

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17
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4 marks

The function straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis is given by

straight f open parentheses x close parentheses equals x squared plus a x plus b

where a and b are integer constants.

It is also given that  straight f open parentheses 3 close parentheses equals straight f open parentheses negative 8 close parentheses equals 0.

Find the values of a and b.

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1a
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1 mark

Expand and simplify space y left parenthesis 2 x plus 2 right parenthesis left parenthesis 7 minus x right parenthesis.

1b
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2 marks

A rectangle has side lengths of left parenthesis 3 x minus 2 y plus 5 right parenthesis units and left parenthesis x plus 3 y minus 1 right parenthesis units. Find an expression for the area of the rectangle in terms of x and space y.

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2
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2 marks

Given that left parenthesis 3 x plus y right parenthesis left parenthesis 2 x minus 3 y right parenthesis left parenthesis x minus 2 y right parenthesis equals a x cubed plus b x squared y plus c x y squared plus d y cubed, where a comma space b comma space c space and space d are constants, find the values of a comma space b comma space c space and space d.

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3
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2 marks

Factorise completely 3 x cubed minus 51 x squared plus 126 x.

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4
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2 marks

Divide x cubed minus 6 x squared minus 9 x plus 14 by left parenthesis x minus 7 right parenthesis.

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5a
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2 marks

straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals 2 x cubed minus x squared minus 16 x plus 15

Find the remainder when straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis spaceis divided by left parenthesis x minus 2 right parenthesis.

5b
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4 marks

Given that left parenthesis x plus 3 right parenthesis is a factor of straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis space, factorise straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis spacecompletely.

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6a
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2 marks

straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals 2 x cubed minus 3 x squared minus 72 x minus 35

Show that straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals left parenthesis 2 x plus 1 right parenthesis left parenthesis a x squared plus b x plus c right parenthesis where a comma space b space and space c are constants to be found.

6b
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4 marks

Hence factorise straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis spacecompletely.

6c
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2 marks

Write down all the real roots of the equation straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals 0.

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7a
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2 marks

straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals 4 x cubed plus 4 x squared minus 23 x minus 30

Use the factor theorem to show that left parenthesis x plus 2 right parenthesis spaceis a factor of space straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis.

7b
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4 marks

Factorise space straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis completely.

7c
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2 marks

Write down all the real roots of the equation straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals 0.

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8a
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6 marks

straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals x cubed plus 9 x squared plus r x plus s. Given that straight f left parenthesis 2 right parenthesis equals 0 spaceand straight f left parenthesis negative 1 right parenthesis equals negative 54:

find the values of r and s.

8b
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3 marks

Factorise space straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis completely.

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9a
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2 marks

The function straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis is given by

space straight f open parentheses x close parentheses equals 3 x cubed minus 5 x squared minus 4 x plus 4

Show that straight f open parentheses 2 over 3 close parentheses equals 0.

9b
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1 mark

Hence write down a factor of space straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis.

9c
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3 marks

Fully factorise space straight f open parentheses x close parentheses.

9d
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2 marks

Write down the solutions to the equation straight f open parentheses x close parentheses equals 0.

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10a
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2 marks

Show thatspace left parenthesis 2 x minus 3 right parenthesis spaceis a factor of 2 x cubed minus 13 x squared plus 23 x minus 12.

10b
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2 marks

Fully factorise 2 x cubed minus 13 x squared plus 23 x minus 12.

10c
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2 marks

Find all the real solutions to 2 x cubed minus 13 x squared plus 23 x minus 12 equals 0.

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11
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2 marks

Given that left parenthesis 2 x minus 1 right parenthesis is a factor of space 2 x cubed plus x squared minus 25 x plus a  find the value of a.

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12a
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3 marks

Given  open parentheses x squared plus 8 x minus 4 close parentheses divided by open parentheses x minus 3 close parentheses equals x plus 11 plus space fraction numerator 29 over denominator x space minus space 3 end fraction

i)
Write down the divisor.

ii)
Write down the quotient.

iii)
Write down the remainder.
12b
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3 marks
i)
Write down the degree of x squared plus 8 x minus 4.
ii)
Write down the degree of x minus 3.
iii)
Explain why you would expect the quotient to be of degree 1 in this case.

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13
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2 marks

It is given that

fraction numerator straight f open parentheses straight x close parentheses over denominator straight x space plus space 2 end fraction space space equals 3 x plus 4 minus space fraction numerator 2 over denominator x space plus space 2 end fraction

Find straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis.

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14
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2 marks

The result of dividing space x squared plus a x minus 5 space space by space open parentheses space x plus 1 close parentheses space space is space space x plus 3 plus space fraction numerator d over denominator x plus 1 end fraction space.

Find the values of a and d space.

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15
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5 marks

Consider the function f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals 4 x cubed plus 6 x squared minus 7 x plus 2.

(i)
Find the quotient and remainder when 4 x cubed plus 6 x squared minus 7 x plus 2 is divided by left parenthesis x minus 2 right parenthesis. 

(ii)
Hence write  4 x cubed plus 6 x squared minus 7 x plus 2 in the form left parenthesis x minus 2 right parenthesis left parenthesis a x squared plus b x plus c right parenthesis plus d comma where a comma space b comma space c and d are constants to be determined.

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16a
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5 marks

The function f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals 2 x cubed minus 5 x squared plus a x plus b  has left parenthesis 2 x plus 3 right parenthesis as a factor, and when f left parenthesis x right parenthesis is divided by left parenthesis x minus 2 right parenthesis the remainder is 7. 

Show that a and b must satisfy the simultaneous equations:  

2 a plus b equals 11

3 a minus 2 b equals negative 36

16b
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2 marks

Hence find a and b.

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1a
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1 mark

Expand and simplify left parenthesis 2 minus x right parenthesis left parenthesis 3 x plus 1 right parenthesis left parenthesis x plus 1 right parenthesis.

1b
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2 marks

A square has side lengths of left parenthesis 5 x minus 2 y plus 3 right parenthesis units. Find an expression for the length of the diagonal of the square in terms of x and space y.

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2
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2 marks

Given that left parenthesis 2 x minus 3 y right parenthesis squared left parenthesis y minus 2 x right parenthesis equals a x cubed plus b x squared y plus c x y squared plus d y cubed, where a comma space b comma space c space and space d are constants, find the values of a comma space b comma space c and d.

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3
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2 marks

Factorise completely 15 x cubed plus 19 x squared minus 10 x.

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4
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2 marks

Divide x cubed minus 19 x minus 30 by left parenthesis x minus 5 right parenthesis.

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5a
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2 marks

straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals x cubed minus 28 x plus 48

Find the remainder when straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis spaceis divided by left parenthesis x minus 3 right parenthesis.

5b
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4 marks

Given that left parenthesis x plus 6 right parenthesis is a factor of straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis, factorise straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis completely.

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6a
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2 marks

straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals 6 x cubed minus 19 x squared plus 11 x plus 6

Show that straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals left parenthesis 2 x minus 3 right parenthesis left parenthesis a x squared plus b x plus c right parenthesis where a comma space b and c are constants to be found.

6b
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4 marks

Hence factorise straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis completely.

6c
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2 marks

Write down all the real roots of the equation straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals 0.

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7a
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2 marks

straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals 4 x cubed minus 7 x minus 3

Use the factor theorem to show that left parenthesis 2 x plus 1 right parenthesis is a factor of straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis.

7b
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4 marks

Factorise straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis completely.

7c
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2 marks

Write down all the real roots of the equation straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals 0.

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8a
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6 marks

straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals x cubed plus r x squared plus s x minus 30. Given that straight f left parenthesis 2 right parenthesis equals 0 space and straight f left parenthesis negative 3 right parenthesis equals negative 240

find the values of r and s.

8b
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3 marks

Factorise straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis completely.

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9a
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2 marks

The function straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis is given by

straight f open parentheses x close parentheses equals 4 x cubed minus 7 x squared minus 21 x plus 18

Show that space left parenthesis 4 x minus 3 right parenthesis spaceis a factor of straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis.

9b
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4 marks

Hence, or otherwise, fully factorise straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis.

9c
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2 marks

Write down the roots of straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis.

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10
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5 marks

Show that left parenthesis 5 x minus 2 right parenthesis is a factor of  25 x cubed plus 55 x squared minus 56 x plus 12.


Hence find all the real solutions to the equation  25 x cubed plus 55 x squared minus 56 x plus 12 equals 0

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11a
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2 marks

Given that space left parenthesis 4 x minus 5 right parenthesis spaceis a factor of space 4 x cubed minus 9 x squared plus a x plus 30 space space find the value of a.

11b
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2 marks

Hence, or otherwise, fully factorise  4 x cubed minus 9 x squared plus a x plus 30.

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12
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4 marks
i)
Find the remainder when  x cubed minus 2 x squared plus 4 x minus 3  is divided by x minus 2.

  [2]

ii)
Find the value of straight f left parenthesis 2 right parenthesis when straight f open parentheses x close parentheses equals x cubed minus 2 x squared plus 4 x minus 3.

  [1]

iii)
Comment on your answers to parts (i) and (ii).

[1]

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13a
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1 mark

It is given that

fraction numerator straight f open parentheses x close parentheses over denominator straight g open parentheses x close parentheses end fraction equals 2 x plus 3 minus fraction numerator 4 over denominator x space plus space 1 end fraction

Why would assuming that  straight g open parentheses x close parentheses equals x plus 1  be a logical first step in attempting to determine the precise forms of straight f open parentheses x close parenthesesand straight g open parentheses x close parentheses?

13b
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2 marks

By first making the assumption from part (a), find straight f open parentheses x close parentheses.

13c
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2 marks

Explain, with an example, why the forms of space straight f open parentheses x close parenthesesand space straight g open parentheses x close parentheses determined in parts (a) and (b) are not the only possible forms for those functions.

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14
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3 marks

When  x cubed plus a x squared plus 4 x minus 1  is divided by  x plus 2 space the quotient is space x squared minus 4 x plus 12 space and the remainder is b.

Find the values of a and b.

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15
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6 marks

Given that open parentheses x plus 4 close parentheses is a factor of the function f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals p x cubed plus left parenthesis 5 p plus 1 right parenthesis x squared plus 5 q x minus 2 q minus 2 and that the remainder when f open parentheses x close parentheses  is divided by open parentheses x plus 1 close parentheses is negative 12,  find the values of the constants p and q.

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16
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4 marks

Show that 3 x cubed plus 16 x squared minus 22 x can be written in the form left parenthesis 3 x plus 1 right parenthesis left parenthesis a x squared plus b x plus c right parenthesis plus d comma where a comma space b comma space c and d are constants to be found.

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1a
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2 marks

Expand and simplify left parenthesis x plus y right parenthesis left parenthesis x minus y right parenthesis left parenthesis y minus x right parenthesis left parenthesis negative x minus y right parenthesis.

1b
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2 marks

A cuboid has a length of left parenthesis 2 x minus 3 y plus 3 right parenthesis units, a width of left parenthesis 2 x plus 3 y minus 3 right parenthesis units, and a height of left parenthesis x minus y right parenthesis.  Find an expression for the volume of the cuboid in terms of x and space y.

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2
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3 marks

Given that left parenthesis a x plus b y right parenthesis left parenthesis 2 x plus y right parenthesis left parenthesis x minus 3 y right parenthesis equals 8 x cubed plus c x squared y plus d x y squared minus 9 y cubed, where a comma space b comma space c and d are constants, find the values of a comma space b comma space c and d.

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3
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3 marks

Factorise completely x to the power of 5 y minus x y to the power of 5.

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4
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3 marks

Divide 4 x to the power of 4 minus 37 x squared plus 9 by left parenthesis 2 x minus 1 right parenthesis.

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5a
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2 marks

straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals 6 x to the power of 4 plus 7 x cubed minus 27 x squared minus 28 x plus 12

Find the remainder when straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis is divided by left parenthesis 2 x plus 3 right parenthesis.

5b
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5 marks

Given that left parenthesis x plus 2 right parenthesis is a factor of straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis, factorise straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis completely.

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6a
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2 marks

straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals 3 x to the power of 4 plus x cubed minus 12 x squared minus 49 x minus 15

Show that straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals left parenthesis 3 x plus 1 right parenthesis left parenthesis a x cubed plus b x squared plus c x plus d right parenthesis where a comma space b comma space c and d are constants to be found.

6b
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5 marks

Given that left parenthesis x minus 3 right parenthesis is a factor of straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis, factorise straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis completely.

6c
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2 marks

Hence show that the equation straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals 0 space has exactly 2 real roots.

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7
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4 marks

Given that 3 is a root of the equation 2 x cubed minus x squared minus 11 x minus 12 equals 0, prove that the equation has no other real roots.

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8a
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1 mark

straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals 2 x to the power of 4 minus 15 x cubed minus 10 x squared plus 105 x plus 98

Show that straight f left parenthesis negative 1 right parenthesis equals 0 space and straight f left parenthesis negative 2 right parenthesis equals 0.

8b
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7 marks

Hence, solve straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals 0.

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9
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4 marks

Given that space left parenthesis 2 x minus 5 right parenthesis spaceis a factor of the function

straight f open parentheses x close parentheses equals 2 x cubed plus k x squared minus 11 x minus 60

find the value of k and fully factorise straight f left parenthesis x right parenthesis.

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10
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5 marks

Show that open parentheses space 9 x squared minus 4 space close parenthesesis a factor of space 9 x to the power of 4 minus 40 x squared plus 16  and hence find all the real solutions to the equation  9 x to the power of 4 minus 40 x squared plus 16 equals 0.

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11a
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2 marks

Show that left parenthesis a x minus 2 right parenthesis is a factor of  3 a x squared plus open parentheses a minus 6 close parentheses x minus 2.

11b
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3 marks

Given that  x equals negative space fraction numerator 1 over denominator a space minus space 4 end fraction  is a root of  space 3 a x squared plus open parentheses a minus 6 close parentheses x minus 2 space, find the value of a.

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12a
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2 marks

For a polynomial straight f open parentheses x close parentheses, the Remainder Theorem states that

    When straight f open parentheses x close parenthesesis divided by space left parenthesis a x minus b right parenthesis space the remainder is straight f open parentheses b over a close parentheses.


Use the Remainder Theorem to find the remainder when  8 x cubed plus 6 x squared minus x minus 2 space is divided by left parenthesis 2 x plus 1 right parenthesis.

12b
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2 marks

Work out the remainder when  6 x squared minus x minus 2  is divided by left parenthesis 2 x plus 1 right parenthesis.

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13
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4 marks

When  2 x cubed plus left parenthesis a plus b right parenthesis x squared plus left parenthesis a minus b right parenthesis x minus 3 space is divided by space x plus 4 space space the quotient is space 2 x squared plus left parenthesis 2 a plus 3 right parenthesis x plus left parenthesis 2 b minus 5 right parenthesis space spaceand the remainder is c.

Find the values of a comma space b and space c.

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