ALGEBRA 2: Chapter 5 Study Guide and Practice Questions

CHAPTER 5: Polynomial Equations

1. How many real solutions does the equation x3 – x = 3x2 + 1 have?
Ⓐ 0
Ⓑ 1
Ⓒ 2
Ⓓ 3

2. REAL LIFE EXAMPLE: A commercial air conditioner can cool a large room with a
volume of up to 40,000 cubic feet. A rectangular room in a warehouse is designed
to have a length of 75 feet, a width of 50 feet, and a height of 8 feet. The builder
wants to make the room larger by increasing the length and the width by the same
amount.
By how many feet can the length and width be increased and still not exceed the
capacity of the air conditioner? Round to the nearest tenth of a foot if necessary.

________ feet

3. Use a graphing tool to solve x3 − 4x2 + 7 = x + 2.

Ⓐ –1.094, 1.163, 3.931
Ⓑ 0.906, 3.163, 5.931
Ⓒ –1.164, 1.772, 3.391
Ⓓ –0.919, 1.138, 4.781

4. The graphs of f(x) = x3 − 2x2 + 4 and g(x) = x + 2 are shown. Use the graphs to find
the solutions of x3 − 2x2 + 4 = x + 2. Select all that apply.

Ⓐ –2

Ⓑ –1

Ⓒ 1

Ⓓ 2

Ⓔ 4
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 ALGEBRA 2: Chapter 5 Study Guide and Practice Questions
5. Find the factors of x3 − 5x2 + 9x − 45. Select all that apply.

Ⓐ x2 + 9 Ⓑ x–5 Ⓒ x+3 Ⓓ x–3

6. Solve x4 + x3 + 4x2 + 4x = 0.
Ⓐ 0, −1, ±2i
Ⓑ 0, 1, ±2i
Ⓒ 0, −1, ±2
Ⓓ 0, 1, ±2

7. Which substitution can be used to write 36x4 + 12x2 + 4 in quadratic form?

Ⓐ u = 6x2
Ⓑ u = (6x)2
Ⓒ u = 12x2
Ⓓ u = (12x)2

8. Find the solutions of x4 + 5x2 – 36 = 0. Select all that apply.

Ⓐ −3i Ⓑ −2i Ⓒ 2i Ⓓ 3i

Ⓔ −3 Ⓕ −2 Ⓖ 2 Ⓗ 3

9. What are the factors of x3 + 125? If the polynomial cannot be factored, select prime.
Ⓐ (x + 5)(x2 – 5x + 25)
Ⓑ (x − 5)(x2 + 5x + 25)
Ⓒ (x + 5)3
Ⓓ prime

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 ALGEBRA 2: Chapter 5 Study Guide and Practice Questions

10. Identify the correct order of equations to prove that (x − y)2 + (x + y)2 = 2x2 + 2y2.

x2 + x2 − 2xy + 2xy + y2 + y2 = 2x2 + 2y2 [ Ⓐ Step 1 Ⓑ Step 2 Ⓒ Step 3 Ⓓ Step 4 ]

x2 − 2xy + y2 + x2 + 2xy + y2 = 2x2 + 2y2 [ Ⓐ Step 1 Ⓑ Step 2 Ⓒ Step 3 Ⓓ Step 4 ]

2x2 + 2y2 = 2x2 + 2y2 [ Ⓐ Step 1 Ⓑ Step 2 Ⓒ Step 3 Ⓓ Step 4 ]

(x − y)2 + (x + y)2 = 2x2 + 2y2 [ Ⓐ Step 1 Ⓑ Step 2 Ⓒ Step 3 Ⓓ Step 4 ]

11. The polynomial identity (x2 − y2)2 + (2xy)2 = (x2 + y2)2 can be used to generate a
Pythagorean triple. Which step is missing from the proof of the identity shown below?
(x2 − y2)2 + (2xy)2 = (x2 + y2)2 Original equation

(x2)2 – 2(x2)(y2) + (y2)2 + (2xy)2 Square (x2 – y2).

= (x2 + y2)2

x4 − 2x2y2 + y4 + 4x2y2 = (x2 + y2)2 Simplify.

x4 − 2x2y2 + 4x2y2 + y4 = (x2 + y2)2 Commutative Property of Addition

_________________________

(x2)2 + 2(x2)(y2) + (y2)2 = (x2 + y2)2 Factor the perfect square trinomial.

(x2 + y2)2 = (x2 + y2)2 Simplify.

Ⓐ x4 + 2x2y2 + y4 = (x2 + y2)2

Ⓑ x4 − 6x2y2 + y4 = (x2 + y2)2

Ⓒ x2(x2 − 2y2) + y2(4x2 + y2) = (x2 + y2)2

Ⓓ (x2 + y2)(x2 + y2) = (x2 + y2)2

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 ALGEBRA 2: Chapter 5 Study Guide and Practice Questions

12. Describe how you would prove that x3 − y3 = (x − y)(x2 + xy + y2) is a polynomial identity.

13. Use synthetic substitution to find f(−2) if f(x) = x3 − 3x2 + 5x − 7.

f(−2) = ______

14. If x − 1 is a factor of x3 − 6x2 + 11x − 6, find the remaining factors of the polynomial.

x–3 [ Ⓐ Factor Ⓑ Not a factor ]

x–2 [ Ⓐ Factor Ⓑ Not a factor ]

x+1 [ Ⓐ Factor Ⓑ Not a factor ]

x+2 [ Ⓐ Factor Ⓑ Not a factor ]

15. Use synthetic substitution to evaluate f(3) when f(x) = x3 − x2 + 3x – 4. Fill in the blanks
to complete the algorithm.

3 1 –1 3 –4

____ ____ ____

____ ____ ____ ____

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 ALGEBRA 2: Chapter 5 Study Guide and Practice Questions

16. REAL LIFE EXAMPLE: The House Price Index (HPI) measures changes in prices of
residential housing. The HPI in the United States from 2000 to 2018 can be modeled by
the function f(x) = 0.127x3 – 3.298x2 + 25.452x + 139.871, where x is the number of years
since 2000. Use synthetic substitution to estimate the HPI in 2010. Round to the nearest
tenth.

________

17. What are the possible number of positive real zeros of the
function p(x) = 2x5 + 3x4 − x2 + 2x − 1? Select all that apply.
Ⓐ 0
Ⓑ 1
Ⓒ 2
Ⓓ 3
Ⓔ 4
Ⓕ 5

18. Consider f(x) = x4 − 8x2 − 9.

The function has _____ real zero(s) and _____ imaginary zero(s). The function has
_____ repeated zero(s).

19. Sketch the graph of a third-degree polynomial function with factors (x + 2) and (x – 1)2.

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 ALGEBRA 2: Chapter 5 Study Guide and Practice Questions

20. If the volume of this rectangular prism is 385 cubic inches, what is the value of x?

x = ______ inches

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