POLYNOMIAL EQUATIONS
After selecting EQUA press Polynomial (F2) so that we may find the solution(s) to
either a quadratic or cubic polynomial, (the degree of the polynomial is the power of
the leading term in the polynomial).
A quadratic polynomial has a degree of two; a cubic polynomial has a degree of
three; a quartic four and so on.
Consider the solutions to the following two polynomials.
x
2
+ 3x + 2 = 0 …..(1)
2x
3
+ x
2
= 1 + 2x ….(2)
To solve equation 1 press F1 (to select a polynomial of degree 2). Then enter in the
appropriate coefficients into the calculator. Following this press SOLV (F1) to present
the obvious solutions x = -1 and –2.
To solve equation 2 EXIT back to the initial Polynomial screen and select F2
(for a cubic polynomial).
Now, before we can solve this polynomial we must first rearrange the polynomial into
an appropriate format i.e. 2x
3
+ x
2
– 2x – 1 = 0. Now enter the coefficients into the
calculator as done previously to obtain the solutions x=-1, -0.5, 1.
It is possible to find the solutions to polynomials with imaginary solutions, such as
X
2
+2=0 or x
3
+x=0. Remember that i
2
=-1.
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