Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-tn8tq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-07T01:33:10.123Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Using spreadsheets to divide algebraic expressions and find roots of polynomials

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2016

A. A. Collyer
Affiliation:
Flat 2, 9 Elmhyrst Road, Weston-super-mare BS23 2SJ
A. Pathan
Affiliation:
45 Hutcliffe Wood Road, Sheffield S8 OEY

Extract

In a recent paper on Horner’s Method [1], which includes a compact method for dividing expressions, we mentioned that some Computer Algebra Systems (CASs) such as DERIVE could be used to make the calculations, but that such programs, even when obtained through educational establishments, are overly expensive especially when most PCs have spreadsheets on them that could equally well do the calculations. Here we describe the use of an Excel spreadsheet to divide one expression by another, first by the method of detached coefficients and second by Horner’s Method of Synthetic Division (or simply synthetic division). A third example uses Horner’s Method to replace x by (x + c) to form a new expression [2], useful in the determination of the roots of a polynomial.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © The Mathematical Association 2003

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Pathan, A. and Collyer, A.A., The wonder of Homer’s method. Math. Gaz. 87 (July 2003) pp. 230242.Google Scholar
2. Harris, J.W. and Stocker, H., Handbook of mathematics and computational science, Springer (1998) pp. 176178.CrossRefGoogle Scholar