How do you find the divisor of a long division polynomial?

The divisor in polynomial long division is the polynomial you are dividing by. It's the polynomial that goes outside the division bracket.

To clarify, let's break down the terminology involved in polynomial long division:

• Dividend: This is the polynomial you are dividing into. It goes inside the division bracket.
• Divisor: This is the polynomial you are dividing by. It goes outside the division bracket.
• Quotient: This is the result of the division. It goes on top of the division bracket.
• Remainder: This is what is left over after the division, if anything.

Example:

Suppose you have the polynomial division problem: (6x² + 7x - 20) / (2x + 5).

• Divisor: The divisor is (2x + 5), because it's the polynomial you are dividing by.
• Dividend: The dividend is (6x² + 7x - 20), because it's the polynomial you are dividing into.

When setting up the long division, you would write:

2x + 5 | 6x² + 7x - 20

In summary, the divisor is simply the polynomial positioned outside the long division symbol, representing the quantity by which you are dividing the dividend.