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Polynomial expressions and factoring — ACT practice questions

Practice 58 Polynomial expressions and factoring questions in the app

What this topic is

Polynomial expressions and factoring on the ACT Mathematics test covers expanding products, rewriting polynomials in equivalent factored form, and finding zeros of a polynomial that factors cleanly.

A student has to expand a squared binomial, factor a quadratic trinomial, and count the distinct real zeros of a higher-degree polynomial, often after treating it as a quadratic in a squared variable. Items usually ask which expression is equivalent to a given polynomial or how many distinct real zeros it has.

Answer choices look like near-miss expansions and factorizations that differ by a sign, a middle term, or a repeated root.

Sample questions

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Question 1Easier

Which of the following expressions is equivalent to (2x+3)2(2x+3)^2?

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Answer: A — 4x2+12x+94x^2+12x+9

(2x+3)2=(2x)2+2(2x)(3)+32=4x2+12x+9(2x+3)^2=(2x)^2+2(2x)(3)+3^2=4x^2+12x+9.

Question 2Easier

Which of the following expressions is equivalent to 10t217t+610t^2-17t+6?

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Answer: A — (5t6)(2t1)(5t-6)(2t-1)

Expanding (5t6)(2t1)(5t-6)(2t-1) gives 10t25t12t+610t^2-5t-12t+6. Combining the middle terms yields 10t217t+610t^2-17t+6.

Question 3Mid

How many distinct real zeros does p(x)=x45x2+4p(x)=x^4-5x^2+4 have?

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Answer: D — 4

Treat the expression as a quadratic in x2x^2: x45x2+4=(x21)(x24)x^4-5x^2+4=(x^2-1)(x^2-4). Thus, the distinct real zeros are 2,1,1,-2,-1,1, and 2, for a total of 4.

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Practice 58 Polynomial expressions and factoring questions in the app

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