The polynomial \(2x^{3} + x^{2} - 3x + p\) has a remainder of 20 when divided by (x - 2). Find the value of constant p.

Assessment: WAEC SSCE - Further Mathematics - 2008 (Objective) Subject: Further Mathematics

Question 1 Report

The polynomial \(2x^{3} + x^{2} - 3x + p\) has a remainder of 20 when divided by (x - 2). Find the value of constant p.

Answer Details
The problem tells us that when we divide the polynomial \(2x^{3} + x^{2} - 3x + p\) by \((x - 2)\), the remainder is 20. We can use polynomial long division to find the quotient and remainder. \begin{array}{c|ccccc} \multicolumn{2}{r}{2x^2} & 5x & 7 \\ \cline{2-6} x-2 & 2x^3 & x^2 & -3x & +p & \\ \multicolumn{2}{r}{-2x^3} & +4x^2 & & &\\ \cline{2-3} \multicolumn{2}{r}{0} & 5x^2 & -3x & &\\ \multicolumn{2}{r}{} & -5x^2 & +10x & &\\ \cline{3-4} \multicolumn{2}{r}{} & 0 & 7x & +p & \\ \multicolumn{2}{r}{} & & -7x & +14 & \\ \cline{4-5} \multicolumn{2}{r}{} & & 0 & p+14 & \\ \end{array} The quotient is \(2x^{2} + 5x + 7\), and the remainder is \(p + 14\). We know that the remainder is equal to 20, so we can set up the equation: \[p + 14 = 20.\] Solving for \(p\), we get: \[p = 20 - 14 = 6.\] Therefore, the value of the constant \(p\) is 6, which is option (B).

Download The App On Google Playstore

Everything you need to excel in your exams

Green Bridge CBT Mobile App
Personalized AI Learning Chat Assistant
200,000+ Exam Questions Across IGCSE, JAMB, WAEC & NECO
Over 3,900 Lesson Notes
Offline Support - Learn Anytime, Anywhere
Green Bridge Timetable
Literature Summaries & Potential Questions
Track Your Performance & Progress
In-depth Explanations for Comprehensive Learning