How do I do (x^3 - 4)/(2x + 5)?

llaffer2016-05-04T12:35:55Z

Favorite Answer

I like to use long division. Don't forget to leave place holders for your x² and x terms with coefficients of zero:

. . . . . _(1/2)x²_-_(5/4)x_+_(25/8)_________
2x + 5 ) x³ + 0x² + 0x - 4
. . . . . . x³ + (5/2)x²
. . . . --------------------
. . . . . . . -(5/2)x² + 0x - 4
. . . . . . . -(5/2)x² - (25/4)x
. . . . . . ---------------------------
. . . . . . . . . . . . . (25/4)x - 4
. . . . . . . . . . . . . (25/4)x + (125/8)
. . . . . . . . . . . -------------------------------
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -4 - 125/8

So first, let's simplify that remainder:

-32/8 - 125/8
-157/8

Put the remainder over the divisor:

(-157/8) / (2x + 5)

change it to multiplication of the reciprocal:

(-157/8) * 1 / (2x + 5)

and simplify:

-157 / (16x + 40)

Now add that to the quotient that we calculated:

(1/2)x² - (5/4)x + (25/8) - 157 / (16x + 40)

DWRead2016-05-04T12:31:20Z

Using long division:
(x³-4) ÷ (2x+5) = 0.5x² - 1.25x + 3.125 remainder -19.625
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