College

The quotient of [tex]$\left(x^4+5x^3-3x-15\right)$[/tex] and [tex]$\left(x^3-3\right)$[/tex] is a polynomial. What is the quotient?

A. [tex]$x^7+5x^6-6x^4-30x^3+9x+45$[/tex]
B. [tex][tex]$x-5$[/tex][/tex]
C. [tex]$x+5$[/tex]
D. [tex]$x^7+5x^6+6x^4+30x^3+9x+45$[/tex]

Answer :

We want to divide
[tex]$$
x^4+5x^3-3x-15
$$[/tex]
by
[tex]$$
x^3-3.
$$[/tex]

Because the degree of the dividend (which is 4) is exactly one more than the degree of the divisor (which is 3), we expect the quotient to be a linear polynomial. Let's assume the quotient is of the form
[tex]$$
q(x)=Ax+B.
$$[/tex]

Multiplying the divisor by this assumed quotient gives:
[tex]$$
(Ax + B)(x^3 - 3) = Ax^4 + Bx^3 - 3Ax - 3B.
$$[/tex]

For this product to be identical to the dividend, the coefficients of corresponding powers of [tex]$x$[/tex] must be equal. Hence, we compare:
[tex]\[
\begin{array}{rcl}
\text{Coefficient of } x^4: & A &= 1, \\
\text{Coefficient of } x^3: & B &= 5, \\
\text{Coefficient of } x: & -3A &= -3, \quad \text{which is satisfied since } A=1, \\
\text{Constant term:} & -3B &= -15, \quad \text{which is satisfied since } B=5. \\
\end{array}
\][/tex]

Since all these equations are consistent, the quotient is:
[tex]$$
q(x) = x + 5.
$$[/tex]

Also, since the multiplication reproduces exactly the original dividend, the remainder is [tex]$0$[/tex].

Thus, the quotient when dividing
[tex]$$
x^4+5x^3-3x-15
$$[/tex]
by
[tex]$$
x^3-3
$$[/tex]
is:
[tex]$$
x+5.
$$[/tex]