How do you evaluate f(x)=2x^3+5x^2+4x+8f(x)=2x3+5x2+4x+8 at x=-2 using direct substitution and synthetic division?

1 Answer
Oct 25, 2016

f(-2)=4f(2)=4

Explanation:

f(x)=2x^3+5x^2+4x+8f(x)=2x3+5x2+4x+8 at x=-2x=2

By direct substitution:

f(-2)=2(-2)^3+5(-2)^2+4(-2)+8f(2)=2(2)3+5(2)2+4(2)+8

f(-2)=2(-8)+5(4)-8+8f(2)=2(8)+5(4)8+8

f(-2)=color(red)4f(2)=4

By synthetic division:

-2|2color(white)(aaaa)5color(white)(aaaaa)4color(white)(aaa)822aaaa5aaaaa4aaa8
color(white)(a^2aa)darrcolor(white)a-4color(white)(aa)-2color(white)(a)-4a2aaa4aa2a4
color(white)(aaaa)-------aaaa
color(white)(aaa^22)2color(white)(a^22aa)1color(white)(aaaa^2)2color(white)(aaa)color(red)4aaa222a22aa1aaaa22aaa4