3.3 Polynomial Identities
3.3 Polynomial Identities
Activity Assess
ESSENTIAL QUESTION How can you use polynomial identities to rewrite expressions efficiently?
How can you prove the Sum of Cubes Identity, a 3 + b 3 = (a + b)(a 2 − ab + b 2)?
To prove an identity, start with the expression on one side of the equation
and use properties of operations on polynomials to transform it into the
USE STRUCTURE
expression on the other side.
Another way to establish the
identity is to multiply each term of (a + b)(a 2 − ab + b 2)
the second factor by (a + b), and
a(a 2 − ab + b 2) + b(a 2 − ab + b 2)
= Use the Distributive Property.
then combine like terms.
= a 3 − a 2b + ab 2 + a 2b − ab 2 + b 3 Use the Distributive Property.
= a 3 + (−a 2b + a 2b) + (ab 2 − b 2)
a + b 3 Group like terms.
= a 3 + b 3 Combine like terms.
So, a 3 + b 3 = (a + b)(a 2 −ab + b 2).
COMMON ERROR
When finding (a + b) 2, recall that Use the Square of a Sum Identity to find the product:
it is not sufficient to square the
(a + b) 2 = a 2 + 2ab + b 2
first term and square the second
2 2 2
term. You must distribute the two x 2 + y 3) = (2x 2) + 2(2x 2)(y 3) + (y 3)
(2 S ubstitute 2x 2 for a and y 3
binomials. for b.
= 4x 4 + 4x 2y 3 + y 6 Simplify.
So, (2x 2 + y 3) 2 = 4x 4 + 4x 2y 3 + y 6.
B. 41 • 39
Rewrite the expression in terms of a and b.
41 • 39 = (a + b)(a − b)
= (40 + 1)(40 − 1)
Use the Difference of Squares Identity:
(40 + 1)(40 − 1) = 40 2 − 1 2
= 1,600 − 1
= 1,599
So 41 • 39 = 1,599.
How can you use polynomial identities to factor polynomials and simplify
numerical expressions?
A. 9m 4 − 25n 6
4 and 25n 6are both perfect squares. A square term includes
9m
an even exponent, not
2
9m 4 = ( 3m 2) necessarily an exponent
2 that is a perfect square.
25n 6 = (5n 3)
Use the Difference of Squares Identity: a 2 − b 2 = (a + b)(a − b).
2 2
9m 4 − 25n 6 = (3m 2) − (5n 3) Express each term as a square.
3
= (3m 2 + 5n ) (3m 2 − 5n 3) Write the factors.
So, 9m 4 −25n 6 = (3m 2 + 5n 3)(3m 2 −5n 3).
CONCEPTUAL
UNDERSTANDING EXAMPLE 4 Expand a Power of a Binomial
Row 0 1 1 (x + y)0
Row 1 1 1 1x + 1y (x + y)1
STUDY TIP Row 2 1 2 1 1x2 + 2xy + 1y2 (x + y)2
Notice the patterns of the powers. Row 3 1 3 3 1 1x3 + 3x2y + 3xy2 + 1y3 (x + y)3
The powers of x decrease from n
Row 4 1 4 6 4 1 1x4 + 4x3y + 6x2y2 + 4xy3 + 1y4 (x + y)4
to 0 and the powers of y increase
from 0 to n when reading the
You can obtain (x + y) n by adding adjacent pairs of coefficients from
terms from left to right.
(x + y) n−1.
(a + b) n = C 0a n + C 1a n−1b + C 2a n−2b 2 + . . . + C n−1ab n−1 + C nb n.
The coefficients C 0, C 1, C 2, . . ., C n−1, C n are the numbers in Row n of
Pascal’s Triangle.
Notice that the powers of a are decreasing while the powers of b are
increasing, and that the sum of the powers of a and b in each term is always n.
So (s 2 + 3) 5 = s 10 + 15s 8 + 90s 6 + 270s 4 + 405s 2 + 243.
POLYNOMIAL Special polynomial identities can be used to multiply and factor polynomials.
IDENTITIES
Difference of Squares Square of a Sum
a 2 − b 2 = (a + b)(a − b) (a + b) 2 = a 2 + 2ab + b 2
Difference of Cubes Sum of Cubes
a 3 − b 3 = (a − b)(a 2 + ab + b 2) a 3 + b 3 = (a + b)(a 2 − ab + b 2)
4. Use Structure Explain how to use a 10. 8x 6 − y 3
polynomial identity to factor 11. m 9 + 27n 6
8x 6 − 27y 3.
Find the term of the binomial expansion.
5. Make Sense and Persevere What number
does C 3represent in the expansion C 0a 5 + 12. fifth term of (x + y) 5
C 1a 4b + C 2a 3b 2 + C 3a 2b 3 + C 4ab 4 + C 5b 5?
13. third term of (a − 3) 6
Explain.
6. Error Analysis Dakota said the third term of Use Pascal’s Triangle to expand each expression.
the expansion of (2g + 3h) 4 is 36g 2h 2. Explain 14. (x + 1) 5 15. (a − b) 6
Dakota’s error. Then correct the error.
Use the Binomial Theorem to expand
each expression.
16. (d − 1) 4 17. (x + y) 7
UNDERSTAND PRACTICE
18. Use Structure Expand (3x + 4y) 3 using Pascal’s 27. Prove the polynomial identity.
Triangle and the Binomial Theorem. x 4 − y 4 = (x − y)(x + y) (x 2 + y 2)
SEE EXAMPLE 1
19. Error Analysis Emma factored 625g 16 − 25h 4.
Describe and correct the error Emma made in Use polynomial identities to multiply the
factoring the polynomial. expressions. SEE EXAMPLE 2
28. (x + 9)(x − 9) 29. (x + 6) 2
625g16 – 25h4 30. (3x − 7) 2 31. (2x − 5)(2x + 5)
= (25g4)2 – (5h2)2 32. (4x 2 + 6y 2)(4x 2 − 6y 2) 33. (x 2 + y 6) 2
2
= (25g4 + 5h2)(25g4 – 5h2) 34. (8 − x 2)(8 + x 2) 35. (6 − y 3)
20. Higher Order Thinking Use Pascal’s Triangle Use polynomial identities to factor the polynomials
and the Binomial Theorem to expand (x + i) 4. or simplify the expressions. SEE EXAMPLE 3
Justify your work.
40. x 8 − 9 41. x 9 − 8
21. Use Structure Expand the expression (2x − 1) 4.
What is the sum of the coefficients? 42. 8x 3 + y 9 43. x 6 − 27y 3
22. Error Analysis A student says that the 44. 4x 2 − y 6 45. 216 + 27y 12
expansion of the expression (−4y + z) 7 has 1 6
46. 64x 3 − 125y 6 47. __
16
x −25y 4
seven terms. Describe and correct the error the
student may have made. 48. 9 3 + 6 3 49. 10 3 + 5 3
23. Reason The sum of the coefficients in the 50. 10 3 – 3 3 51. 8 3 – 2 3
expansion of the expression (a + b) n is 64.
Use Pascal’s Triangle to find the value Use the Binomial Theorem to expand the
of n. expressions. SEE EXAMPLES 4 and 5
24. Use Structure Factor x 3 − 125y 6in the form 52. (x + 3) 3 53. (2a − b) 5
(x − A)(x 2 + Bx + C). What are the values of A, 4
54. ( 12 )
b − __ 55. (x 2 + 1) 4
B, and C?
3
56. (2x + __
13 ) 57. (x 3 + y 2) 6
Generalize How many terms will there be
in the expansion of the expression (x + 3)n? 58. (d − 3) 4 59. (2m + 2n) 6
Explain how you know.
60. (n + 5) 5 61. (3x − 0.2) 3
Make Sense and Persevere How could you use 3
polynomial identities to factor the expression 62. (4g + 2h) 4 63. ( 12 n)
m 2 + __
x6−y6?
64. Reason A medium-sized shipping box 67. Are the expressions below perfect square
with side length s units has a volume of trinomials? Select Yes or No.
s 3 cubic units.
Yes No
x+3
2
x − 3x + 9