SOLVING CUBIC EQUATIONS

5
LESSON
A cubic expression is an expression of the form ax3 + bx2 +cx + d. The following
are all examples of expressions we will be working with:
2x3 – 16, x3 – 2x2 – 3x, x3 + 4x2 – 16, 2x3 + x – 3.
Remember that some quadratic expressions can be factorised into two linear
factors:
e.g. 2x2 – 3x + 1 = (2x – 1)(x – 1)
Quadratic Linear Linear

Now, a cubic expression may be factorised into

(i) a linear factor and a quadratic factor or (ii) three linear factors.
For example, you can easily verify, by multiplying out the right hand side that:
(i) x3 – 8 = (x – 2)(x2 + 2x + 4)
Linear Quadratic

(ii) 4x3 – 4x2 – x + 1 = (x – 1)(2x – 1)(2x + 1)

Linear Linear Linear

There are three types of factorisation methods we will consider:

• Common factor
• Grouping terms
• Factor theorem

Type 1 - Common factor

In this type there would be no constant term.

Example Example 1
Solve for x: x3 + 5x2 – 14x = 0

Solution
Solution
x(x2 + 5x – 14) = 0
\ x(x + 7)(x – 2) = 0
\ x = 0, x = 2, x = –7

Type 2 - Grouping terms

With this type, we must have all four terms of the cubic expression. We then
pair terms with a common factor and see if a common bracket emerges.

Example Example 2
Solve for x: x3 + 2x2 – 9x – 18 = 0

Solution:
Solution
(x3 + 2x2) – (9x + 18) = 0
\ x2(x + 2) – 9(x + 2) = 0
Page 80
 \ (x + 2)(x2 – 9) = 0
\ (x + 2)(x – 3)(x + 3) = 0
\ x = –2, x = 3, x = –3

Type 3 - Using the factor theorem

N.B. If (x – a) is a factor of the cubic expression, then f(a) = 0.
So, we substitute in values of x = ±1, ±2 … etc until we find a value which makes
the expression equal to 0.

Example 3 Example
Solve for x: x3 – 5x + 2 = 0

Solution
Solution
Try x = 1: 3
1 – 5(1) + 2 = –2
Try x = –1: (–1)3 – 5(–1) + 2 = 6
Try x = 2: 23 – 5(2) + 2 = 0 \ (x – 2) is a factor
\ (x – 2)(quadratic) = x3 – 5x + 2
(x – 2)(x2 + kx – 1) = x3 – 5x + 2 by inspection.
Compare x terms on LHS and RHS: –5x = –x – 2kx
\ –5 = –1 – 2k
\k=2
Alternatively, you can
\ x3 – 5x + 2 = (x – 2)(x2 + 2x – 1) = 0 use long division to get
_
x = 2 or x = –1 ± √2 (using the quadratic formula) the factors of x3 – 5x + 2

Example 4 Example
Solve for x: 2x – 3x – 8x – 3 = 0
3 2

Solution
Solution
Try x = 1: 2(1)3 – 3(1)2 – 8(1) – 3 = –12
Try x = –1: 2(–1)3 – 3(1)2 – 8(–1) – 3 = 0 \ (x + 1) is a factor
\ (x + 1)(2x2 + kx – 3) = 2x3 – 3x2 – 8x – 3
Compare x2 terms on both sides:
(N.B. It does not matter whether you compare x2 or x terms)
–3x2 = 2x2 + kx2
\ –3 = 2 + k
\ k = –5
\ (x + 1)(2x2 – 5x – 3) = 2x3 – 3x2 – 8x – 3 = 0
∴ (x + 1)(2x + 1)(x – 3) = 0
\ x = –1, x = – _1 , x = 3
2

PagPeag
1 e 81
2009 Lesson 1 | Algebra
 Activity Activity 1
Solve for x:
1. 2x3 – x2 – x = 0

2. x3 – x = 0

3. _2 x3 – 18 = 0
3

4. x3 + 3x2 – 4x – 12 = 0

5. x3 – 3x – 2 = 0

6. 2x3 + 5x2 – 14x – 8 = 0

7. x3 + 7x2 – 36 = 0

Page 82
8. 4x3 + 12x2 + 9x + 2 = 0

9. x3 − 2x2 − 4x + 3 = 0

Activity 2 Activity
1. Given that: f(x) = 6x3 – 37x2 + 5x + 6 and f(6) = 0, solve for x, if f(x) = 0

2. Solve for x and y if:

y = x3 + 9x2 + 26x + 16 and y – 3x = 1

3. In the diagram: f(x) = x3 and g(x) = –3x2 + x + 3

y

x
A

PagPeag
1 e 83
2009 Lesson 1 | Algebra
 Determine the coordinates of A and B, the points of intersection of f and g.

4. In the diagram: f(x) = x2 – 7 and g(x) = _6x

y

g
f

Make use of the diagram, and a cubic equation, to solve the inequality:
_6 ³ x2 – 7
x

Solutions to Activities
Activity 1
1. 2x3 − x2 − x = 0
\ x(2x2 − x − 1) = 0
\ x(2x +1)(x − 1) = 0
\ x = 0 or x = – _12 or x = 1
2. x3 − x = 0
\ x(x2 −1) = 0
\ x(x − 1)(x +1) = 0
\ x = 0 or x = ±1

Page 84
3. _2x3 − 18 = 0
3
\ 2x3 − 54 = 0
\ 2x3 = 54
\ x3 = 27
\x=7
4. x = 2 is a solution since 23 + 3(2)2 − 4(2) − 12 = 0
\ (x − 2)(x2 + kx + 6) = x3 +3x2 − 4x − 12
Compare x terms on LHS and RHS:
−2kx + 6x = −4x
\ -2k + 6 = −4
\ -2k = −10
\k=5
\ x3 + 3x2 − 4x − 12 = (x − 2)(x2 + 5x + 6)
\ (x − 2)(x + 3)(x + 2) = 0
\ x = –3 or x = ±2
5. x = −1 is a solution since (−1)3 − 3(−1) − 2 = 0
\ (x + 1)(x2 + kx − 2) = x3 − 3x − 2
Compare x terms on LHS and RHS:
−2x + kx = −3x
\ −2 + k = −3
\ k = −1
\ (x + 1)(x2 + x − 2) = x3 − 3x − 2
\ (x + 1)(x − 2)(x + 1) = 0
\ x = –1 or x = 2
6. x = 2 is a solution since 2(2)3 + 5(2)2 − 14(2) − 8 = 0
\ (x − 2)(2x2 + kx + 4) = 2x3 + 5x2 − 14x − 8
Compare x terms on LHS and RHS:
−2kx + 4x = −14x
\ −2k + 4 = −14
\ −2k = −18
\k=9
\ (x − 2)(2x2 + 9x + 4) = 2x3 + 5x2 − 14x − 8
\ (x − 2)(2x + 1)(x + 4) = 0
\ x = 2 or x = – _1 or x = –4
2

PagPeag
1 e 85
2009 Lesson 1 | Algebra
 7. x = 2 is a solution since (2)3 + 7(2)2 − 36 = 0
\ (x − 2)(x2 + kx + 18) = x3 + 7x2 − 36
Compare x terms on LHS and RHS:
−2kx + 18x = 0x
\ −2k + 18 = 0
\ −2k = −18
\k=9
\ (x − 2)(x2 + 9x + 18) = x3 + 7x2 − 36
\ (x − 2)(x + 3)(x + 6) = 0
\x = –2 or x = –3 or x = –6
8. x = –2 is a solution since 4(–2)3 + 12(–2)2 + 9(–2) + 2 = 0
\ (x + 2)(4x2 + kx + 1) = 4x3 + 12x2 + 9x + 2
Compare x terms on LHS and RHS:
x + 2kx = 9x
\ 1 + 2k = 9
\ 2k = 8
\k=4
\ (x + 2)(4x2 + 4x + 1) = 4x3 + 12x2 + 9x + 2
\ (x + 2)(2x + 1)(2x + 1) = 0
\ x = – _1 or x = –2
2
9. x = 3 is a solution since (3)3 + 2(3)2 − 4(3) + 3 = 0
\ (x − 3)(x2 + kx − 1) = x3 + 2x2 − 4x + 3
Compare x terms on LHS and RHS:
−3kx − x = −4x
\ −3k − 1 = −4
\ −3k = −3
\k=1
\ (x − 3)(x2 + x − 1) = x3 + 2x2 − 4x + 3
\x−3=0 or x2 + x − 1________
=0
−1 ±__
√1 − 4(1)(−1)
\x=3 x= _ 2(1)
−1
_ ±√5
x= 2

Activity 2
1. f(6) = 0
\ (x − 6) is a factor of f(x)
\ f(x) = (x − 6)(6x2 − x − 1)
\ f(x) = (x − 6)(3x + 1)(2x − 1)
\ If f(x) = 0, then
\ x = 6 or x = – _13 or x = _12
Page 86
2. x3 + 9x2 + 26x + 16 = 3x + 1
\ x3 + 9x2 + 23x + 15 = 0
x = −1 is a solution since (−1)3 + 9(−1)2 + 23(−1) + 15 = 0
\ (x + 1)(x2 + 8x + 15) = 0
\ (x + 1)(x + 5)(x + 3) = 0
\ x = −1 or x = −5 or x = −3
3. For co-ordinates of A and B, we have
\ x3 = -3x2 + x + 3
\ x3 + 3x2 – x – 3 = 0
\ x2(x + 3) – (x + 3) = 0
\ (x + 3)(x2 – 1) = 0
\ x = ±1 or x = –3
4. First, we must find the points of intersection. Therefore:
x2 – 7 = _6 x
\ x – 7x = 6
3

\ x3 – 7x – 6 = 0
Now, x = –1 is a solution since (–1)3 –7(–1) – 6 = 0
\ (x + 1)(x2 – x – 6) = 0
\ (x + 1)(x + 2)(x – 3) = 0
\ x = –1 or x = –2 or x = 3
y

g
f

\ Reading solution to _6x ³ x2 – 7 from graph, we get

0 < x £ 3 or –2 £ x £ –1

PagPeag
1 e 87
2009 Lesson 1 | Algebra