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Long division

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College Algebra

Definition

Long division is a method used to divide polynomials by another polynomial of lesser or equal degree. It involves repeated division, multiplication, and subtraction to obtain the quotient and remainder.

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5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

  1. The divisor must be a polynomial of lesser or equal degree than the dividend.
  2. The result includes both a quotient and a remainder, where the remainder has a lower degree than the divisor.
  3. Align terms with similar degrees for accurate subtraction during each step.
  4. If there is no term for a specific degree in either the dividend or divisor, use zero as its coefficient in alignment.
  5. Long division can verify factorization by checking if the remainder is zero.

Review Questions

  • What are the steps involved in performing long division on polynomials?
  • Why is it important to align terms with similar degrees when applying long division?
  • How can you verify if a given polynomial is a factor of another using long division?
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