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Polynomials

The cubic keeps three relations

A quadratic has at most 2 zeros. A cubic, with highest power x³, has at most 3.

The curve of x³ − 6x² + 11x − 6 crosses the x-axis at 1, 2 and 3.
Step 1 of 4
  1. The curve of x³ − 6x² + 11x − 6 crosses the x-axis at 1, 2 and 3.
  2. Add the zeros: 1 + 2 + 3 = 6. And −b/a = 6.
  3. Add the products of pairs: 1×2 + 2×3 + 3×1 = 11. And c/a = 11.
  4. Multiply the zeros: 1 × 2 × 3 = 6. And −d/a = 6.

The rule

A cubic polynomial has the form ax³ + bx² + cx + d, with a not 0.

Suppose the cubic has three zeros α, β and γ. Then:

α + β + γ = −b/a. αβ + βγ + γα = c/a. αβγ = −d/a.

The middle line adds products of two zeros at a time.

One cubic, checked

2x³ − 5x² − x + 6 has zeros 2, −1 and 3/2. First check each one.

Each input makes the value 0
InputWorkingValue
216 − 20 − 2 + 60
−1−2 − 5 + 1 + 60
3/227/4 − 45/4 − 6/4 + 24/40

Here a = 2, b = −5, c = −1 and d = 6.

The three relations, from the zeros and from the coefficients
RelationFrom the zerosFrom the coefficients
sum2 − 1 + 3/2 = 5/2−b/a = 5/2
pairs−2 − 3/2 + 3 = −1/2c/a = −1/2
product2 × (−1) × 3/2 = −3−d/a = −6/2 = −3

The pairs are 2×(−1) = −2, (−1)×(3/2) = −3/2 and (3/2)×2 = 3.

Now try it. Three zeros are shown. Tap the cubic that has them.

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This track

  1. 0 Start here
  2. 1 The input that lands on zero
  3. 2 Factors hand over their zeros
  4. 3 The curve and its crossings
  5. 4 The sum the zeros keep
  6. 5 Where the two relations come from
  7. 6 Building it from its zeros
  8. 7 What the relations tell you first
  9. 8 Finding values without the zeros
  10. 9 The cubic keeps three relations
  11. 10 Checkpoint: relations, building and the cubic
  12. 11 The big picture
  13. 12 Track quiz

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