The internal pressure P P\,P of a experimental gas chamber is modeled by the function:
P(v)=3v3+13v2+19v+k P(v) = 3v^3 + 13v^2 + 19v + k P(v)=3v3+13v2+19v+kwhere v v\,v is the relative volume and k k\,k is a constant.
Given that (3v+1)(3v + 1)(3v+1) is a factor of P(v)P(v)P(v),
use the factor theorem to show that k=5k = 5k=5.
Hence show that the equation P(v)=0P(v) = 0P(v)=0 has only one real root.
181 exam-style questions on OCR (MEI) A Level Maths 1.3 Functions, covering 1.3.1 Operations on polynomials, 1.3.2 Factor theorem, 1.3.3 Definition of a function (A-level only), 1.3.4 Composite functions (A-level only), 1.3.5 Inverse functions and their graphs (A-level only), 1.3.6 The modulus function (A-level only), 1.3.7 Inequalities with a modulus sign (A-level only), and 1.3.8 Functions in modelling (A-level only). Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.