Question

Use synthetic division to find P(2) for P(x) = x^4 + 3x^3 - 6x^2 - 10x + 8

Choices :)
A.) 2
B.) 28
C.) 4
D.) -16

Answer 1

You don't need synthetic division really. You can just plug in x = 2 and evaluate.

Answer 2

what does it have to equal to ?

Answer 3

P(x) = x^4 + 3x^3 - 6x^2 - 10x + 8

P(2) = (2)^4 + 3(2)^3 - 6(2)^2 - 10(2) + 8

P(2) = ???

Answer 4

I got 76 ? that's not a choice

Answer 5

P(2) = (2)^4 + 3(2)^3 - 6(2)^2 - 10(2) + 8

P(2) = 16 + 3(8) - 6(4) - 10(2) + 8

P(2) = 16 + 24 - 24 - 20 + 8

P(2) = 4

Answer 6

not sure where you went wrong, but I'm guessing you lost a sign somewhere

Answer 7

so you don't do the exponents ?

Answer 8

what do you mean by "do exponents"?

Answer 9

Like if you do 2^4 is 16 and 3(2) ^3 is 216 and 6(2) ^2 is 144 and 10(2) is 20 that's how I got 76 I added 16 + 216 - 144 - 20 + 8

Answer 10

you do

3(2)^3 = 3(8) = 24

NOT

3(2)^3 = 6^3 = 216

because exponents come before multiplication in PEMDAS

Answer 11

O, ok thanks so much for explaining :)
it makes more since now

Answer 12

yw