Chapter 3: Problem 57
Find all zeros of the polynomial. $$P(x)=x^{4}-6 x^{3}+13 x^{2}-24 x+36$$
Short Answer
Expert verified
Zeros are 1, 3, 1 + 3i, and 1 - 3i.
Step by step solution
01
Identify Polynomial Degree
The degree of the polynomial \(P(x) = x^4 - 6x^3 + 13x^2 - 24x + 36\) is 4. This indicates there are up to 4 real or complex roots to find.
02
Use the Rational Root Theorem
The Rational Root Theorem suggests that any rational root, \(p/q\), is a factor of the constant term (36) divided by a factor of the leading coefficient (1). Thus, potential rational roots are ±1, ±2, ±3, ±4, ±6, ±9, ±12, ±18, ±36.
03
Test Potential Rational Roots with Synthetic Division
Use synthetic division to test possible roots starting from the smallest absolute values. Upon testing, \(x = 1\) satisfies the polynomial, as there is no remainder:
04
Perform Synthetic Division with x = 1
Divide the polynomial by \(x - 1\) using synthetic division. The quotient is \(x^3 - 5x^2 + 8x - 36\).
05
Find Zeros of the Quotient Polynomial
Repeat the process starting with \(x^3 - 5x^2 + 8x - 36\). By testing roots, \(x = 3\) satisfies the quotient polynomial.
06
Perform Synthetic Division with x = 3
Divide \(x^3 - 5x^2 + 8x - 36\) by \(x - 3\) using synthetic division. The quotient is \(x^2 - 2x + 12\).
07
Find Zeros of Quadratic Polynomial
Solve \(x^2 - 2x + 12\) using the quadratic formula \(x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a}\) where \(a = 1, b = -2, c = 12\). This gives complex roots \(x = 1 \pm 3i\).
08
Compile All Zeros
Combine all zeros from steps: \(x = 1\), \(x = 3\), and complex roots \(x = 1 + 3i, x = 1 - 3i\).
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Rational Root Theorem
The Rational Root Theorem is a powerful tool in algebra that helps in finding potential rational zeros of a polynomial. Here's how it works:
The theorem states that if a polynomial has a rational root \(\frac{p}{q}\), then \(p\) must be a factor of the constant term and \(q\) must be a factor of the leading coefficient. For the polynomial \(P(x) = x^4 - 6x^3 + 13x^2 - 24x + 36\), the constant term is 36, and the leading coefficient is 1.
The theorem states that if a polynomial has a rational root \(\frac{p}{q}\), then \(p\) must be a factor of the constant term and \(q\) must be a factor of the leading coefficient. For the polynomial \(P(x) = x^4 - 6x^3 + 13x^2 - 24x + 36\), the constant term is 36, and the leading coefficient is 1.
- Factors of 36: ±1, ±2, ±3, ±4, ±6, ±9, ±12, ±18, ±36
- Factors of 1: ±1
Synthetic Division
Synthetic division is a simplified method of dividing a polynomial by a linear binomial of the form \(x - c\). It is particularly helpful for checking the roots of a polynomial quickly.
Here's how synthetic division is performed:
1. Write down the coefficients of the polynomial.2. Identify the root you're testing (let's say \(x = 1\)).3. Perform the synthetic division process, which involves multiplying and adding, to see if the remainder is zero.
If you get a remainder of zero, then \(x = 1\) is a root of the polynomial. In our case, this step was used twice: first finding \(x = 1\), and then \(x = 3\), confirming that these values are indeed the roots.
Here's how synthetic division is performed:
1. Write down the coefficients of the polynomial.2. Identify the root you're testing (let's say \(x = 1\)).3. Perform the synthetic division process, which involves multiplying and adding, to see if the remainder is zero.
If you get a remainder of zero, then \(x = 1\) is a root of the polynomial. In our case, this step was used twice: first finding \(x = 1\), and then \(x = 3\), confirming that these values are indeed the roots.
Complex Roots
Complex roots arise when the discriminant of a quadratic equation (inside the square root of the quadratic formula) is negative. These are numbers that include a real part and an imaginary part.
For the quadratic \(x^2 - 2x + 12\), we used the quadratic formula:
\[ x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a} \]
With values \(a = 1\), \(b = -2\), and \(c = 12\), the discriminant \(b^2 - 4ac\) evaluates to \(-44\), which is negative. This indicates complex roots. The roots are calculated as:
\[ x = 1 \pm 3i \]
Here, "i" represents the imaginary unit, and these roots are parts of the solution we compiled at the end.
For the quadratic \(x^2 - 2x + 12\), we used the quadratic formula:
\[ x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a} \]
With values \(a = 1\), \(b = -2\), and \(c = 12\), the discriminant \(b^2 - 4ac\) evaluates to \(-44\), which is negative. This indicates complex roots. The roots are calculated as:
\[ x = 1 \pm 3i \]
Here, "i" represents the imaginary unit, and these roots are parts of the solution we compiled at the end.
Quadratic Formula
The quadratic formula is a universal method used to find the roots of a quadratic equation \(ax^2 + bx + c = 0\). It can be used regardless of the type of roots: real or complex.
The formula is given by:
\[ x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a} \]
This formula takes into account the coefficients \(a\), \(b\), and \(c\) from the quadratic equation and calculates the roots based on the discriminant \(b^2 - 4ac\).
The formula is given by:
\[ x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a} \]
This formula takes into account the coefficients \(a\), \(b\), and \(c\) from the quadratic equation and calculates the roots based on the discriminant \(b^2 - 4ac\).
- If the discriminant is positive, the roots are real and different.
- If it is zero, roots are real and the same.
- If it's negative, the roots are complex.