FACTORING POLYNOMIAL

FUNCTIONS
 Learning Target/s

• To factor a cubic polynomial

functions by synthetic method.
• To find the roots or rational zeros
of a cubic polynomial function.
• Cubic Polynomial Function- a function
of degree 3
Example: f(x)=x³-5x²+2x+8
• Steps in Factoring A Cubic polynomial

Step 1: Find the possible rational zeros

Possible zeros: ± p/q where: p= factors of a constant8
q= factors of a leading
coefficient 1
The possible zeros of x³-5x²+2x+8 are ± p/q = ± 1,2,4,8/1

Possible zeros = ± 1,2,4,8

Step 2: Try out one factor from the possible
rational zeros.
Check this by synthetic method.
Remember that if the last number is 0 in
synthetic division,
Then the factor tried out is really one factor.
Possible Factor: (x+1)
to check: -1│ 1 -5 2 8
-1 6 -8/ 1 -6 8 0

Since the last number is 0,(x+1) is factor.

• Step 3: Find the other factors, use the
remaining numbers below the synthetic
method to form a quadtratic polynomial.
then factor the quadratic.
1 -6 8 0 → Numbers below the synthetic
method.
X²-6x+8 → Quadratic Method
(x-4)(x-2) → Other Factors
• Final Answer:
f(x)=x³-5x²+2x+8
f(x)= (x+1)(x-4)(x-2)
• Steps in finding the roots or rational
zeros of a cubic polynomial

Step 1:Equate each factor to zero.

Step2: Find x use transposition method.
x+1=0 x-4=0 x-2=0
x=1= -1 x=4 =0 x=2=0