Question: can you use synthetic division when dividing a polynomial by a quadratic factor?
Answer: Synthetic division is generally used, however, not for dividing out factors but for finding zeroes (or roots) of polynomials. ... For instance, if you are given that x = –2 and x = –3 are the zeroes of a quadratic, then you know that x + 2 = 0, so x + 2 is a factor, and x + 3 = 0, so x + 3 is a factor.