Algebra II : Functions and Graphs

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Algebra II

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Example Questions

Example Question #1082 : Algebra Ii

If , find

Possible Answers:

None of the answers are correct.

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To find , substitute  for  in the original equation:

.

Use FOIL or the Square of Binomial Rule to find .

Recall that FOIL stands for the multiplication between the First components in both binomials followed by the Outer components, then the Inner components, and lastly the Last components.

Therefore,

You can then simplify the equation.

Distribute the multiplier: 

Combine like terms: .

To find , distribute 3 throughout the equation to get:

Subtract the two expressions:

Example Question #1083 : Algebra Ii

Find  if 

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

For , substitue for :

.

Use FOIL or square of a binomial to find .

Recall that FOIL stands for the multiplication between the First components in both binomials followed by the Outer components, then the Inner components, and lastly the Last components.

Therefore, 

Distribute and combine like terms to simplify:

.

For , first substitute  for :

.

Multiply the entire expression by 3:

.

Add both expressions:

 

Example Question #11 : Polynomial Functions

If , what is ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To solve this problem, plug in 2p for x in the function: . Then, simplify: .

Example Question #561 : Functions And Graphs

Let 

What is ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The question asks us to put the expression of  into the expression for  anyplace there is an :

 

The 2nd power needs to be distributed to both the  and . The first term then becomes:

The final answer is then 

Example Question #12 : Polynomial Functions

If

,

what is

?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To solve this problem, simply plug in 1 wherever you see x.

.

Therefore,

.

Example Question #14 : Polynomial Functions

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To determine the end behavior for a function, we must look at the degree and the sign associated with the function. For this function: 

The degree is 6 (the highest power) which is an even number, and the sign is positive (the sign associated with the leading coefficient, which in this case is positive 1). 

Taken together, we can see that we have an "even positive" function. Even functions always go the same direction at both extreme ends. Think of a parabola, both sides either both go up or both go down - this is the same for all even functions. 

Since this is an even positive; both sides will approach positive infinity. 

We express this mathematically when we say that as x approaches negative infinity (left side) the function will approach positive infinity:

....and as x approaches positive infinity (right side) the function again approaches positive infinity. 

Example Question #13 : Polynomial Functions

Determine a possible zero:  

Possible Answers:

 

Correct answer:

 

Explanation:

Rewrite this equation in order of high to lower powers.

Factor out an x-term  from the equation.  The equation becomes:

Factorize the term inside the parentheses.

Set each individual term equal to zero and solve for .

The zeros are:  

One of the possible root is:  

Example Question #1091 : Algebra Ii

Where is the x-value of the vertex point located for ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The vertex is the minimum or maximum of a parabola.

Write the vertex formula for the polynomial .

Substitute the coefficients.

The answer is:  

Example Question #1091 : Algebra Ii

Factorize:  

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

In order to factorize this quadratic, we will need to identify the roots of the first and last term and order it into the two binomials.

We know that it will be in the form of:

The value of  can be divided into , and is the only possibility to be replaced with  and .

Substitute this into the binomials.

Now we need to determine  such that it will equal to 12, and satisfy the central term of .

The roots of 12 that can be interchangeable are:

 

The only terms that are possible are  since

.

Remember that we must have a positive ending term!

This means that .  

Substitute the terms.

The answer is:  

Example Question #21 : Polynomial Functions

The highest- and lowest-degree terms of a polynomial of degree 7 are  and , respectively; the polynomial has only integer coefficients.

True or false: By the Rational Zeroes Theorem, the polynomial must have  as one of its zeroes.

Possible Answers:

True

False

Correct answer:

False

Explanation:

By the Rational Zeroes Theorem (RZT), if a polynomial has only integer coefficients, then any rational zero must be the positive or negative quotient of a factor of the constant and a factor of the coefficient of greatest degree. In other words, the RZT only gives a set of rational numbers of which any rational zeroes must be an element; it does not dictate what rational zeroes, if any, must actually be zeroes of the polynomial.

For example, examine the polynomial 

,

which satisfies the given characteristics in that its first and last terms are  and . If  is a zero, then 

.

Substitute  for :

 is not a zero of .

Therefore, it does not hold in general that a polynomial with the given highest- and lowest-degree terms has  as a zero.

 

 

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