Find the values of a and b for which x^3 + ax^2 -10x + b is divisible by x^2 + x - 12
also
let f(x) = x^3 - kx^2 + 2kx - k - 1
show that f(x) is divisible by (x-1)
factorise f(x)
thanks
The factor theorem - if f(x) is divisible by (ax-b), then f(b/a)=0 So, for the first one:
If P(x)=x^3+ax^2-10x+b is divisible by x^2+x-12, it must also be divisible by the factors of x^2+x-12=(x-3)(x+4). So:
P(3)=0, 0=27+9a-30+b
P(-4)=0, -64+16a+40+b
We can simplify both to:
3=9a+b (1)
24=16a+b (2)
Now, we do (2)-(1) to get:
21=7a
a=3
Sub into (1):
3=27+b
b=-24
For the second, f(1)=1-k+2k-k-1=1-1+2k-k-k=0, so f(x) is divisible by x-1. You can then factorise using long division, or this:
f(x)=(x-1)Q(x), and we want to find Q(x). Q(x) must be a quadratic so that f(x) is a cubic, so we get:
f(x)=(x-1)(ax^2+bx+c)
Expanding:
f(x)=ax^3+bx^2+cx-ax^2-bx-c
x^3-kx^2+2kx-k-1=ax^3+bx^2-ax^2+cx-bx-c
x^3-kx^2+2kx-k-1=ax^3+(b-a)x^2+(c-b)x-c
Now, we "equate coefficients" - that is, we take the coefficients in front of specific pronumerals and equate them. So, for x^3:
1=a
For x^2:
-k=b-a
For x:
2k=c-b
For constants:
-k-1=-c
So, c=k+1 and a=1. Putting these into any of the above equations, we'll get that b=1-k. So:
f(x)=(x-1)(x^2+(1-k)x+k+1)