Question

Divide the following polynomial
(a^2n - a^n - 6) (a^n + 8)

Answer 1

@Power2Knowledge do you wanna divide (a^2n - a^n - 6) by (a^n + 8) ??

Answer 2

I'd strongly suggest that you factor both numerator and denominator before attempting to divide/reduce/simplify. Can you do that?

Answer 3

yes

Answer 4

my answer is a^n - a^n -3/a^n + 8 but i received partial credit

Answer 5

yes @Shizen

Answer 6

I have not done the whole problem. However, if y ou've gotten only partial credit, one reason may be that you may have to specify restrictions on the domain of your result, because if you have cancelled like terms, that doesn't remove the fact that the denominator could be zero at the x value connected with the term you've cancelled.

Answer 7

so how would I write it?

Answer 8

the remainder is not coming out to be zero..!!!

Answer 9

I think you may have copied down the divisor incorrectly. I suspect that you want to divide by a^3n+8, not by a^n+8. Would you check that, please?

Answer 10

@shizen: please let @power2knowledge verify the problem statement first.

Answer 11

my divisor say its a^n+8. I dont have enough room for my divisor to be a^3n + 8

Answer 12

Let's see what shizen and surjithayer have to say. I'd stick by my assertion that the divisor is most probably a^3n + 8.

Answer 13

put \[a^n=t,\]
squaring both sides
\[\left( a^n \right)^2=t^2\]
\[a ^{2n}=t^2\]
now your question becomes
\[divide~t^2-t-6~by~ t+8\]
you will get remainder and quotient.
in the end replace t by a^n

Answer 14

surjithayer's approach is valid. Looks as though you're going to have to do long division, and that my suggestion (factoring and cancelling) is not going to be very helpful here. Would you please divide t+8 into t^2-t-6 now.

Answer 15

where does the t's come from??? how would I do that?

Answer 16

If you find that approach to be confusing, forget it and go back to the original problem statement.

Answer 17

I never did a problem written like this

Answer 18

compare that to

Answer 19

Please decide now which approach YOU prefer, and then take it. May I assume you've done long division of algebraic expressions before?

Answer 20

I'm sorry, but in the absence of a response from you, I'm logging off. Perhaps we could resume this problem solution later on today, or perhaps someone else could help you with it. Good luck!

Answer 21

I'll prefer someone else help

Answer 22

@Power2Knowledge you here ??

Answer 23

yes. I have approximately 15 mins before I have to go to work

Answer 24

you can also do synthetic division by -8