Question

select the statement that is always true when dividing a third degree polynomial by a second degree polynomial
A. there will be a remainder B. the quotient includes a fraction C. the quotient is a first degree polynomial D. the quotient includes a zero term

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Answered by GPT-4o mini
When dividing a third degree polynomial (let's denote it as \( P(x) \)) by a second degree polynomial (let's denote it as \( D(x) \)), we can analyze the possible outcomes.

1. **Degree of the Quotient**: The degree of the quotient will be \( \text{deg}(P) - \text{deg}(D) = 3 - 2 = 1 \). Thus, the quotient will be a first degree polynomial or a linear polynomial.

2. **Remainder**: By the polynomial division algorithm, when dividing polynomials, there is always a remainder, which can be of lower degree than the divisor (hence in this case it would be of degree less than 2).

3. **Fraction in the Quotient**: The quotient can be expressed in the form of a polynomial plus a remainder divided by the divisor. Whether there is a fraction in the quotient depends on the specific polynomials involved and their coefficients.

4. **Zero Term in the Quotient**: A zero term can occur, but it is not guaranteed. The linear polynomial resulting from the division might not have a zero term if both polynomials do not result in such a fraction.

Based on this analysis, the statement that is always true when dividing a third degree polynomial by a second degree polynomial is:

**C. the quotient is a first degree polynomial.**

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