Chapter 4: Problem 94
Find a polynomial equation with the given solutions. \(\pm 2\)
Short Answer
Expert verified
The polynomial equation is \( x^2 - 4 = 0 \).
Step by step solution
01
Identify Given Solutions
The problem provides the solutions as \( \pm 2 \). This means the roots of the equation are \( +2 \) and \( -2 \).
02
Translate Solutions into Factors
For each solution \( x = 2 \) and \( x = -2 \), we can write the corresponding factors of the polynomial equation as \( (x - 2) \) and \( (x + 2) \).
03
Write the Polynomial Equation
The polynomial equation is formed by multiplying the factors found in the previous step. We have the equation: \( (x - 2)(x + 2) \).
04
Expand the Factors
Now, expand the expression \( (x - 2)(x + 2) \) using the difference of squares formula: \( a^2 - b^2 = (a - b)(a + b) \). Here, set \( a = x \) and \( b = 2 \), so the product becomes \( x^2 - 4 \).
05
State the Polynomial Equation
The polynomial equation with solutions \( \pm 2 \) is \( x^2 - 4 = 0 \).
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Roots of a Polynomial
When solving a polynomial equation, a crucial step is finding the "roots" or "solutions". These are values of the variable (commonly denoted as \( x \)) that make the entire equation equal to zero. A solution to the polynomial equation \( f(x) = 0 \) is a root if substituting it into the function \( f(x) \) results in zero. For example, if the equation is \( x^2 - 4 = 0 \), substituting \( x = 2 \) or \( x = -2 \) into the equation will yield zero. Thus, \( 2 \) and \( -2 \) are the roots.
- Understanding roots helps determine solutions that satisfy the polynomial equations.
- They play a significant role in factoring, as each root corresponds to a factor of the polynomial.
Difference of Squares
The difference of squares is a particular algebraic structure expressing the form \( a^2 - b^2 \). This can be factored into the product of two binomials: \( (a - b)(a + b) \). This formula is particularly useful because it simplifies the process of multiplying polynomial expressions or factoring them back to their roots.This concept appears when working with a polynomial like \( x^2 - 4 \). Here, \( 4 \) can be seen as \( 2^2 \), so it fits the difference of squares pattern \( x^2 - 2^2 \). Breaking it down:
- Let \( a = x \) and \( b = 2 \).
- Applying the difference of squares gives \( (x - 2)(x + 2) \).
Factoring Polynomials
Factoring is a mathematical process of breaking down a complex expression into simpler factors, which when multiplied together give back the original expression. With polynomials, factoring involves rewriting them as a product of their roots or simpler polynomials.Consider the polynomial \( x^2 - 4 \). This polynomial can be factored using its roots \( 2 \) and \( -2 \). It involves expressing these roots as factors:
- Identify the roots: \( x = 2 \) and \( x = -2 \).
- Translate these roots into factors: \( (x - 2) \) and \( (x + 2) \).
- The factorization of \( x^2 - 4 \) becomes \( (x - 2)(x + 2) \).