If it says is (some equation) divisble by -a can you just pug in -a for x and see fi you get zero?
To determine if an equation is divisible by -a, you cannot simply substitute -a for x and check if you get zero as the result. Divisibility is not directly related to whether the equation evaluates to zero at a particular value. Instead, let me explain the correct approach to determine if a polynomial equation is divisible by -a.
If you have a polynomial equation in the form f(x) = 0, and you want to check if it is divisible by -a, you need to apply the Remainder Theorem. According to the Remainder Theorem, if the polynomial f(x) is divided by x + a, and the remainder is zero, then f(x) is divisible by -a.
To apply the Remainder Theorem, follow these steps:
1. Arrange the equation in standard form: f(x) = 0.
2. Replace x with -(a) : f(-(a)) = 0.
3. Compute the value of f(-(a)).
4. If the result is zero, then the polynomial equation is divisible by -a.
By following these steps, you can determine whether an equation is divisible by -a without solely relying on the zero value as the indicator of divisibility.