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Question

If y = 1 + √3 + √4, then the value of 2y4 - 8y3 - 6y2 + 28y - 84 is:

This question was previously asked in
SSC CGL 2022 Tier-II (Paper 2 JSO) Previous Year Paper (04-Mar-2023)
The correct answer is

40√3

Evaluating the Polynomial Expression with Radicals

We are given the value of \(y\) as \(y = 1 + \sqrt{3} + \sqrt{4}\) and asked to find the value of the polynomial expression \(2y^4 - 8y^3 - 6y^2 + 28y - 84\).

Step 1: Simplify the Expression for \(y\)

The first step is to simplify the given value of \(y\):

\(y = 1 + \sqrt{3} + \sqrt{4}\)

Since \(\sqrt{4} = 2\), we can substitute this into the expression for \(y\):

\(y = 1 + \sqrt{3} + 2\)

\(y = 3 + \sqrt{3}\)

Step 2: Find a Polynomial Equation Satisfied by \(y\)

To make the evaluation of the higher-degree polynomial easier, we can find a simpler polynomial equation that \(y\) satisfies. From \(y = 3 + \sqrt{3}\), we can isolate the radical term:

\(y - 3 = \sqrt{3}\)

Now, square both sides of the equation to eliminate the square root:

\((y - 3)^2 = (\sqrt{3})^2\)

Expanding the left side gives:

\(y^2 - 2(y)(3) + 3^2 = 3\)

\(y^2 - 6y + 9 = 3\)

Rearrange the terms to form a quadratic equation:

\(y^2 - 6y + 9 - 3 = 0\)

\(y^2 - 6y + 6 = 0\)

This equation is satisfied by the given value of \(y\).

Step 3: Simplify the Given Polynomial Expression Using the Found Equation

We want to evaluate the polynomial \(P(y) = 2y^4 - 8y^3 - 6y^2 + 28y - 84\). Since \(y\) satisfies \(y^2 - 6y + 6 = 0\), we know that \(y^2 = 6y - 6\). We can use this relationship to reduce the degree of the polynomial.

Method 1: Repeated Substitution

We can express higher powers of \(y\) in terms of \(y\) and a constant:

  • \(y^2 = 6y - 6\)
  • \(y^3 = y \cdot y^2 = y(6y - 6) = 6y^2 - 6y\). Substitute \(y^2 = 6y - 6\) again: \(y^3 = 6(6y - 6) - 6y = 36y - 36 - 6y = 30y - 36\).
  • \(y^4 = y \cdot y^3 = y(30y - 36) = 30y^2 - 36y\). Substitute \(y^2 = 6y - 6\) again: \(y^4 = 30(6y - 6) - 36y = 180y - 180 - 36y = 144y - 180\).

Now, substitute these expressions back into the original polynomial \(P(y)\):

\(P(y) = 2(144y - 180) - 8(30y - 36) - 6(6y - 6) + 28y - 84\)

Expand and group terms:

\(P(y) = 288y - 360 - 240y + 288 - 36y + 36 + 28y - 84\)

Group terms with \(y\): \(288y - 240y - 36y + 28y = (288 - 240 - 36 + 28)y = (48 - 36 + 28)y = (12 + 28)y = 40y\)

Group constant terms: \(-360 + 288 + 36 - 84 = -72 + 36 - 84 = -36 - 84 = -120\)

So, the simplified polynomial is \(P(y) = 40y - 120\).

Method 2: Polynomial Long Division

Alternatively, we can perform polynomial long division of \(P(y) = 2y^4 - 8y^3 - 6y^2 + 28y - 84\) by \(Q(y) = y^2 - 6y + 6\). Since \(Q(y) = 0\) for the value of \(y\), the value of \(P(y)\) will be equal to the remainder of this division.

Step Operation Intermediate Result
1 Divide \(2y^4\) by \(y^2\): \(2y^2\)
Multiply \(2y^2(y^2 - 6y + 6)\): \(2y^4 - 12y^3 + 12y^2\)
Subtract from original polynomial
\(4y^3 - 18y^2 + 28y - 84\)
2 Divide \(4y^3\) by \(y^2\): \(4y\)
Multiply \(4y(y^2 - 6y + 6)\): \(4y^3 - 24y^2 + 24y\)
Subtract from remainder
\(6y^2 + 4y - 84\)
3 Divide \(6y^2\) by \(y^2\): \(6\)
Multiply \(6(y^2 - 6y + 6)\): \(6y^2 - 36y + 36\)
Subtract from remainder
\(40y - 120\)

The remainder of the division is \(40y - 120\). Thus, \(P(y) = (y^2 - 6y + 6)(2y^2 + 4y + 6) + 40y - 120\). Since \(y^2 - 6y + 6 = 0\), we have \(P(y) = 0 \cdot (2y^2 + 4y + 6) + 40y - 120 = 40y - 120\).

Step 4: Substitute the Value of \(y\) into the Simplified Expression

Now substitute the value \(y = 3 + \sqrt{3}\) into the simplified expression \(40y - 120\):

Value \( = 40(3 + \sqrt{3}) - 120\)

Distribute the 40:

Value \( = 40 \times 3 + 40 \times \sqrt{3} - 120\)

Value \( = 120 + 40\sqrt{3} - 120\)

The constant terms cancel out:

Value \( = 40\sqrt{3}\)

Conclusion on Polynomial Value

The value of the expression \(2y^4 - 8y^3 - 6y^2 + 28y - 84\) when \(y = 1 + \sqrt{3} + \sqrt{4}\) is \(40\sqrt{3}\).

Revision Table: Key Algebra Concepts

Concept Description Relevance to Problem
Simplifying Radicals Finding the simplest form of a square root, like \(\sqrt{4}=2\). Initial step to simplify \(y\).
Forming a Polynomial Equation Manipulating an expression with radicals to find an equation (e.g., quadratic) the variable satisfies. Crucial step \(y-3=\sqrt{3} \implies y^2-6y+6=0\).
Polynomial Remainder Theorem principle If \(P(y) = Q(y)S(y) + R(y)\) and \(Q(y) = 0\) for a value of \(y\), then \(P(y) = R(y)\). Justification for using polynomial division remainder or substitution method.
Polynomial Simplification Reducing the degree of a polynomial expression using a known relationship between powers of the variable. Main technique used (substitution or division).
Substitution Method Replacing powers of the variable (\(y^2, y^3, y^4\)) with equivalent simpler expressions. Method used to reduce the polynomial degree step-by-step.
Polynomial Long Division An algorithm to divide one polynomial by another. Alternative method to find the remainder, which is the simplified expression value.

Additional Information: Handling Expressions with Multiple Radicals

For expressions like \(y = a + \sqrt{b} + \sqrt{c}\), simplifying and finding a polynomial equation usually involves isolating one radical, squaring, then isolating the remaining radical, and squaring again. For \(y = 1 + \sqrt{3} + \sqrt{4}\), it simplified to \(y = 3 + \sqrt{3}\), a form with only one radical, which is simpler.

If \(y = a + \sqrt{b} + \sqrt{c}\), the process typically looks like this:

  1. Start with \(y - a = \sqrt{b} + \sqrt{c}\).
  2. Square both sides: \((y - a)^2 = (\sqrt{b} + \sqrt{c})^2 = b + c + 2\sqrt{bc}\).
  3. Rearrange to isolate the remaining radical: \((y - a)^2 - b - c = 2\sqrt{bc}\).
  4. Square both sides again: \( ((y - a)^2 - b - c)^2 = (2\sqrt{bc})^2 = 4bc \).

Expanding this last equation results in a polynomial in \(y\) with integer coefficients. This polynomial will be of degree 4. Once you have such a polynomial \(Q(y) = 0\), you can use polynomial division or substitution to simplify the given expression \(P(y)\) to its remainder when divided by \(Q(y)\).

The key takeaway is that finding a polynomial equation satisfied by the variable simplifies evaluating complex polynomial expressions involving that variable, especially when the variable contains radical terms.

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Important Questions from Rational or Irrational Numbers

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