dividing polynomials

[mollykins]

I understand how to divide polynomials, but don't understand how or why it works, when using the bus shelter method (I think there's another way, but we haven't been taught it yet.)

Can anyone shed some light on why you end up with the right answer? Especially after you've moved everything down and taken things away from each other etc etc.

[RATTER15]

Do what with what?? A bus shelter?

Should I know about this method, a polynomial is?

:-( I need another coffee!!!!

[mollykins]

I know how to do them, it's just i don't understand how you end up with the right answer. Anyway I haven't got any maths homework for this. I had two different teachers, who are doign two different topics, and the first one gave us homework, so the second didn't give us any polynomial homework.

[mollykins]

If you don't even know what polynomials are, you won't know how to divide them, so you won't be able to answer my question.

[ttfn]

Bus shelter? Shed? Does the Greenhouse effect enter the equasion or shall I just hod off?

[RATTER15]

It does sound a bit that way Doc, I forgotten much of that as well, those were the days!!

[beejay1124]

ttfn-dont they grow polyanthus in greenhouses

[ttfn]

You may be right there molly, everyone else seems bunkered

[RATTER15]

I much prefer the hammock method, now that's a really hard equation to master :-(

[oldexpat]

http://www.purplemath.com/modules/polydiv2.htm

[mollykins]

polynomials are where you have lots of terms with squared/cubed/and so on numbers. So you might have to divide; x^2+5x-2x^4 by x+1, using the bus shelter method.

[RATTER15]

Yep, thats what I thought it was :-)

[ttfn]

How's the gardening going RATTER ? Any polytunnels there ;o)

[mollykins]

oldex, thanks, but like i said, I know how to do it, I just don't understand why it works. Hopefully factor will turn up and be able to explain.

[RATTER15]

Not polytunnels as such but a few bus shelters going up, but we call them gazebos, the more technical term for us mathematical sorts :-)

[factor-fiction]

Hi mollykins. Give me an example question (start with a simple one) and I'll look at it today for you and go through it with you. But the principles of the process are exactly the same as those used with numbers

[bibblebub]

it's exactly the same as old long division for numbers

e.g. 327 = 3x100 +2x10 + 7 = 3x10^2 + 2x10^1 +7 = 3x^2 + 2x^1 + 7 where x = 10

so e.g. 327/56 = 56(327 = 5x+6(3x^2+2x+7

[bibblebub]

those last brackets should be the other way round 56)327 (couldn't be bothered with the lines across the top of the numerator 327)

[RATTER15]

I agree!! :-)