Question

Help! long division!

x^2+9x+14 divided by x+1

Answer 1

This is fun! Do you have to it long-hand, or are you learning synthetic division yet?

Answer 2

I've learned synthetic but it requires long division... that's why I got confused

Answer 3

You can do this problem with synthetic division. The only way you couldn't use synthetic division is if you were dividing by something like 3x +2 or x^2 + 3. It has to have a coefficient of 1 on the x, and cannot be higher than power 1. You want to do long division or synthetic? Either will work here.

Answer 4

Synthetic is WAY easier, but like I said, the divisor has to fit within certain boundaries, or follow certain rules, per se, before you can use synthetic. It follows the rules of having a 1 coefficient on the x and the x is not raised to any power higher than just a 1.

Answer 5

synthetic

Answer 6

Ok, let's do it then!

Answer 7

x+1 as a factor is x+1=0. So when you solve it for x, you actually have x = -1 as a solution. So we will not divide by a positive 1, we will divide by a -1. Like this:

Answer 8

Does that look familiar to you?

Answer 9

yes