CLASS X — MATHEMATICS

CHAPTER 2: POLYNOMIALS — PRACTICE EXERCISES

SECTION A: MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS (MCQS)

1. Which of the following is not the graph of a quadratic polynomial?

y y
(a) (b)

x' x x' x
O O
y y
(c) (d)

y' y'

x' x x' x
O O

Fig. 2.18

2. If one of the zeros of a quadratic polynomial of the form x2 + ax + b is the negative of the other, then it:
y' y'
(a) has no linear term and constant term is negative. (b) has no linear term and the constant term is positive.
(c) can have a linear term but the constant term is negative. (d) can have a linear term but the constant term is positive.

3. If one zero of the quadratic polynomial x2 + 3x + k is 2, then the value of k is:

[CBSE 2020]

(a) 10 (b) -10 (c) 5 (d) -5

4. A quadratic polynomial, the sum of whose zeroes is 0 and one zero is 3, is:

(a) x2 - 9 (b) x2 + 9 (c) x2 + 3 (d) x2 - 3

5. A quadratic polynomial, the sum of whose zeros is -5 and their product is 6, is: [CBSE 2020]

(a) x2 + 5x + 6 (b) x2 - 5x + 6 (c) x2 - 5x - 6 (d) -x2 + 5x + 6

6. The product of the zeros of the polynomial x3 + 4x2 + x - 6 is:

(a) -4 (b) 4 (c) 6 (d) -6

7. If one zero of the polynomial f(x) = (k2 + 4)x2 + 13x + 4k is reciprocal of the other, then k =
(a) 2 (b) -2 (c) 1 (d) -1

8. If α, β are the zeros of the polynomial f(x) = x2 + x - 1, then 1/α + 1/β =

[CBSE 2023]

(a) 1 (b) -1 (c) 0 (d) none of these

9. If α, β are the zeros of the polynomial p(x) = 5x2 + 3x - 7, then 1/α + 1/β is equal to:
[CBSE 2024]

(a) -3/7 (b) 3/5 (c) 3/7 (d) -5/7

10. If the product of two zeros of the polynomial f(x) = 2x3 + 6x2 - 4x + 9 is 3, then its third zero is:

(a) 3/2 (b) -3/2 (c) 9/2 (d) -9/2

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11. If one root of the polynomial f(x) = 5x2 + 13x + k is reciprocal of the other, then the value of k is:
(a) 0 (b) 5 (c) 1/6 (d) 6

12. If two zeros of x3 + x2 - 5x - 5 are √5 and -√5, then its third zero is:
(a) 1 (b) -1 (c) 2 (d) -2

13. The product of the zeros of x3 + 4x2 + x - 6 is:

(a) -4 (b) 4 (c) 6 (d) -6

14. If two zeroes of the polynomial x3 + x2 - 9x - 9 are 3 and -3, then its third zero is:
(a) -1 (b) 1 (c) -9 (d) 9

15. If √5 and -√5, are two zeroes of the polynomial x3 + 3x2 - 5x - 15, then its third zero is:
(a) 3 (b) -3 (c) 5 (d) -5

16. If the sum of the zeros of the polynomial f(x) = 2x3 - 3kx2 + 4x - 5 is 6, then the value of k is:
(a) 2 (b) 4 (c) -2 (d) -4

17. If the product of zeros of the polynomial f(x) = ax3 - 6x2 + 11x - 6 is 4, then a =

(a) 3/2 (b) -3/2 (c) 2/3 (d) -2/3

18. The number of polynomials having zeros -3 and 5 is: [CBSE 2023]

(a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) more than 3

19. If one of the zeroes of the quadratic polynomial (k - 1)x2 + kx + 1 is -3, then the value of k is:

(a) 4/3 (b) -4/3 (c) 2/3 (d) -2/3

20. The zeroes of the quadratic polynomial x2 + 99x + 127 are:

(a) both positive (b) both negative
(c) both equal (d) one positive and one negative

21. If α, β are the zeros of the polynomial f(x) = ax2 + bx + c, then 1/α2 + 1/β2 =
2 2 2 2
(a) b - 2ac/a2 (b) b - 2ac/c2 (c) b + 2ac/a2 (d) b + 2ac/c2

22. If α and β are the zeros of the polynomial f(x) = x2 + px + q, then a polynomial having 1/α and 1/β as its zeros is:

(a) x2 + qx + p (b) x2 - px + q (c) qx2 + px + 1 (d) px2 + qx + 1

23. If α, β are the zeros of polynomial f(x) = x2 - p(x + 1) - c, then (α + 1)(β + 1) =

(a) c - 1 (b) 1 - c (c) c (d) 1 + c

24. If α and β are the zeros of the polynomial x2 - 6x + k and 3α + 2β = 20, then the value of k is:
(a) -8 (b) 16 (c) -16 (d) 8

25. What should be added to the polynomial x2 - 5x + 4, so that 3 is the zero of the resulting polynomial?
(a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 4 (d) 5

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26. What should be subtracted to the polynomial x2 - 16x + 30, so that 15 is the zero of the resulting polynomial?
(a) 30 (b) 14 (c) 15 (d) 16

27. If x + 2 is a factor of x2 + ax + 2b and a + b = 4, then:

(a) a = 1, b = 3 (b) a = 3, b = 1 (c) a = -1, b = 5 (d) a = 5, b = -1

28. The polynomial which when divided by -x2 + x - 1 gives a quotient x - 2 and remainder 3, is:

(a) x3 - 3x2 + 3x - 5 (b) -x3 - 3x2 - 3x - 5

(c) -x3 + 3x2 - 3x + 5 (d) x3 - 3x2 - 3x + 5

29. If the zeroes of the quadratic polynomial x2 + (a + 1)x + b are 2 and -3, then:
[CBSE 2023]

(a) a = -7, b = -1 (b) a = 5, b = -1 (c) a = 2, b = -6 (d) a = 0, b = -6

30. If two of the zeroes of the cubic polynomial ax3 + bx2 + cx + d are each equal to zero, then the third zero is:

(a) -d/a (b) c/a (c) -b/a (d) b/a

31. If α and β are the zeroes of the polynomial ax2 - 5x + c and α + β = αβ = 10, then:

(a) a = 5, c = 1/2 (b) a = 1, c = 5/2 (c) a = 5/2, c = 1 (d) a = 1/2, c = 5

32. If α, β and γ are the zeroes of the polynomial x3 - x2 - 10x - 8, then αβ + βγ + γα + αβγ is equal to:
(a) -2 (b) 2 (c) 18 (d) -18

33. If two zeroes of the polynomial x3 + 7x2 - 2x - 14 are √2 and -√2, then the third zero is:
(a) 7 (b) -7 (c) -14 (d) 14

34. If zeros of the polynomial f(x) = x3 - 3px2 + qx - r are in A.P., then:

(a) 2p3 = pq - r (b) 2p3 = pq + r (c) p3 = pq - r (d) none of these

35. If α and β are the zeroes of the polynomial x2 - (k + 6)x + 2(2k - 1) such that α + β = αβ/2, then the value of k is:
(a) 6 (b) 2 (c) 14 (d) 7

36. If the zeroes of the polynomial x3 - 12x2 + 44x + c are in A.P., then the value of c is:
(a) 44 (b) 48 (c) -44 (d) -48

37. If α, β, γ are the zeros of the polynomial f(x) = ax3 + bx2 + cx + d, then 1/α + 1/β + 1/γ =

(a) -b/d (b) c/d (c) -c/d (d) -c/a

38. If the sum of two zeroes of the polynomial x3 - 2x2 + qx - r is zero, then:
(a) q = 2r (b) r = 2q (c) q = r (d) r = 4q

39. If the polynomial f(x) = 2x3 - kx2 + 5x + 9 is exactly divisible by x + 2, then k =

(a) 17/4 (b) -17/4 (c) 15/4 (d) -15/4

40. If a - b, a and a + b are zeroes of the polynomial x3 - 3x2 + x + 1, then the value of a + b is:
(a) √2 - 1 (b) √2 (c) -√2 - 1 (d) 1 ± √2

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41. The zeros of the quadratic polynomial x2 + ax + a, a ≠ 0:
(a) cannot both be positive (b) cannot both be negative
(c) are always unequal (d) are always equal

42. If the zeros of the quadratic polynomial ax2 + bx + c, c ≠ 0 are equal, then:
(a) c and a have opposite signs (b) c and b have opposite signs
(c) c and a have the same sign (d) c and b have the same sign

43. If 2 and 1/2 are zeros of px2 + 5x + r, then:

(a) p = r = 2 (b) p = r = -2 (c) p = 2, r = -2 (d) p = -2, r = 2

44. If α and β are the zeroes of the polynomial x2 - 1, then the value of (α + β) is:
[CBSE 2023]

(a) 2 (b) 1 (c) -1 (d) 0

45. The graph of y = p(x) is given, for a polynomial p(x). The number of zeroes of p(x) from the graph is: [CBSE 2023]

x' x

y = p(x)
y'

Fig. 2.19

(a) 3 (b) 1 (c) 2 (d) 0

46. Which of the following is a quadratic polynomial having zeroes -2/3 and 2/3?
[CBSE 2023]

(a) 4x2 - 9 (b) 4/9(9x2 + 4) (c) x2 + 9/4 (d) 5(9x2 - 4)

47. If α, β are the zeroes of the polynomial p(x) = 4x2 - 3x - 7, then 1/α + 1/β is equal to:
[CBSE 2023]

(a) 7/3 (b) -7/3 (c) 3/7 (d) -3/7

48. If a polynomial p(x) is given by p(x) = x2 - 5x + 6, then the value of p(1) + p(4) is:
[CBSE 2024]

(a) 0 (b) 4 (c) 2 (d) -4

SECTION B: CASE STUDY BASED QUESTIONS

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49. Due to heavy storm an electric wire got bent as shown in the following figure. It followed a mathematical
shape. Answer the following questions:

x' x
-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3

y'

Fig. 2.20

(i) Name the shape in which the wire is bent:

(a) Spiral (b) Elliptical (c) Parabolic (d) Linear

(ii) How many zeros are there for the polynomial representing the shape of the wire?
(a) 2 (b) 3 (c) 1 (d) 0

(iii) The zeros of the polynomial represented by the wire are:

(a) -1, 5 (b) -1, 3 (c) 3, 5 (d) -4, 2

(iv) The expression of the polynomial representing the wire is:

(a) x2 + 2x - 3 (b) x2 - 2x + 3 (c) x2 - 2x - 3 (d) x2 + 2x + 3

(v) The value of the polynomial at x = -1 is:

(a) 6 (b) -18 (c) 18 (d) 0

50. A highway underpass is parabolic in shape as shown in the following picture.

Parabolic camber / cross slope

(i) If the highway overpass is represented by x2 - 2x - 8. Then its zeros are:

(a) 2, -4 (b) 4, -2 (c) -2, -2 (d) -4, -4

(ii) Number of zeros of the polynomial representing highway overpass is equal to number of points where the graph
of polynomial:
(a) intersects x-axis (b) intersects y-axis
(c) intersects y-axis or x-axis (d) none of these

(iii) Graph of quadratic polynomial is a:

(a) straight line (b) circle (c) parabola (d) ellipse

(iv) The representation of Highway Underpass whose one zero is 6 and sum of the zeros is 0, is:

(a) x2 - 6x + 2 (b) x2 - 36 (c) x2 - 6 (d) x2 - 3

(v) The number of real zeros that polynomial f(x) = (x - 2)2 + 4 can have is:
(a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 0 (d) 3

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51. A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck is hung below suspension cables on vertical
suspenders. The suspension cables are in parabolic shape. The point on the suspension cable just above the
mid-point of the deck is the lowest point of the suspension cable and the suspension cable is symmetric about
a vertical line, parallel to the suspenders, through the lowest point.

A parabola is the curve representing p(x) = ax2 + bx + c. Parabolas are symmetric about a vertical line known as the
axis which cuts the parabola at the lowest or highest point known as the vertex of the parabola.

Fig. 2.22

(i) If the suspension cable is represented by the polynomial x2 - 8x - 20, then its zeros are:
(a) -2, -10 (b) -2, 10 (c) 2, -10 (d) 2, 10

(ii) A quadratic polynomial the sum and product of whose zeros are -4 and -12, is:

(a) x2 - 4x - 12 (b) x2 + 4x + 12 (c) x2 + 4x - 12 (d) x2 + 12x - 4

(iii) A quadratic polynomial whose one zero is -2 and product of whose zeros is 8, is:

(a) x2 + 6x + 8 (b) x2 + 2x - 8 (c) x2 - 6x + 8 (d) x2 - 6x - 8

(iv) A quadratic polynomial whose zeros are reciprocal of the zeros of 6x2 - 7x - 3, is:

(a) 6x2 + 7x + 3 (b) 3x2 - 7x + 6 (c) 3x2 + 7x + 6 (d) 3x2 + 7x - 6

(v) If the parabola representing quadratic polynomial ax2 + bx + c touches x-axis, then:
(a) it has only one real root (b) its roots are real and equal
(c) it has no real root (d) its roots are of opposite signs

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52. On May 20, 2020 super cyclonic storm Amphan hit West Bengal. It caused widespread damage in West
Bengal. Due to this thousand of trees were uprooted and electric poles were bent out. Some electric poles bent
into the shape of a parabola shown below. A parabola is represented by a quadratic polynomial. Based on the
above information answer the following questions:

y
8

x' x
-4 2

y'

Fig. 2.23

(i) If the parabola shown in Fig. 2.23 represents the quadratic polynomial p(x) = ax2 + bx + c, then:
(a) a > 0 (b) a < 0 (c) a = 0 (d) 2a + b = 0

(ii) Zeros of the quadratic polynomial represented by the parabola are:

(a) 2 and 4 (b) -4 and 2 (c) 4 and -2 (d) -2 and 2

(iii) The quadratic polynomial p(x) representing the given parabola is:

(a) x2 + 4x - 8 (b) x2 + 2x - 8 (c) -x2 + 2x - 8 (d) -x2 - 2x + 8

(iv) The value of p(x) at x = 0 is:

(a) -8 (b) 8 (c) 4 (d) -4

(v) If the parabola shown in Fig. 2.23 is moved rightward through one unit, then the quadratic polynomial
representing it is:

(a) x2 - 9 (b) -x2 + 9 (c) -x2 - 2x + 9 (d) -x2 + 8

53. Observe the graph y = f(x) of a polynomial carefully and answer the following questions:

(-1,3)

(-2,0) (2,0)
x' x

(1,-3)

y'

Fig. 2.24

(i) The number of zeroes of the polynomial y = f(x) is:

(a) 2 (b) 3 (c) 4 (d) 1

(ii) The curve y = f(x) shown in Fig. 2.24, represents a polynomial, which is:
(a) quadratic (b) linear (c) biquadratic (d) cubic

(iii) The coordinates where the curve intersects the x-axis are:
(a) (2, 0), (-2, 0) (b) (2, 0), (-2, 0), (-1, 3)
(c) (2, 0), (-2, 0), (0, 0) (d) (2, 0), (-2, 0), (1, -3)

Page 7 of 10
54. Observe the graphs y = f(x) and y = g(x) of a polynomial carefully and answer the following questions:

x x

Fig. 2.25 Fig. 2.26

(i) The number of zeroes shown in the polynomial in Figure 2.25 is:
(a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 0 (d) 3

(ii) The number of zeroes shown in the polynomial in Figure 2.26 is:
(a) 2 (b) 1 (c) 0 (d) 3

(iii) The curve in Figure 2.25 represents the polynomial:

(a) y = x2 + 2x + 3 (b) y = x3 + 3x + 2 (c) y = x3 (d) y = x3 - x

(iv) The curve in Figure 2.26 represents the polynomial:

(a) y = x2 + 2x + 3 (b) y = x3 + 3x + 2 (c) y = x3 (d) y = x3 - x2

55. The figure shows the bridge with hanging wires showing a mathematical shape. Answer the following
questions:

(i) Name the shape of the hanging wires?

(a) Linear (b) Spiral (c) Parabola (d) Ellipse

(ii) What will be the expression of the polynomial shown in the figure?

(a) y = ax + b (b) y = ax2 + bx + c

(c) y = ax3 + bx2 + cx + d (d) None of these

(iii) Zeroes of a polynomial can be expressed graphically. Number of zeroes of a polynomial is equal to number of
points where the graph of polynomial:
(a) intersects x-axis (b) intersects y-axis
(c) intersects y-axis or x-axis (d) none of the above

(iv) The representation of hanging wires on the bridge whose sum of the zeroes is -3 and product of the zeroes is 5
is:

(a) x2 - 3x - 5 (b) x2 - 3x + 5 (c) x2 + 3x - 5 (d) x2 + 3x + 5

(v) Graph of a quadratic polynomial is:

(a) straight line (b) circle (c) parabola (d) ellipse

SECTION C: ASSERTION-REASON BASED MCQS

Directions: Each of the following questions contains STATEMENT-1 (A) and STATEMENT-2 (Reason) and has following
four choices (a), (b), (c) and (d), only one of which is the correct answer. Mark the correct choice.
(a) Statement-1 is true, Statement-2 is true; Statement-2 is a correct explanation for Statement-1.
(b) Statement-1 is true, Statement-2 is true; Statement-2 is not a correct explanation for Statement-1.
(c) Statement-1 is true, Statement-2 is false.
(d) Statement-1 is false, Statement-2 is true.

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56. Statement-1 (A): The polynomial f(x) = x2 - 2x + 2 has two real zeros.
Statement-2 (R): A quadratic polynomial can have at most two real zeroes.

57. Statement-1 (A): A quadratic polynomial having 1/2 and 1/3 as its zeroes is 6x2 - 5x + 1.
Statement-2 (R): Quadratic polynomials having α and β as zeroes are given by f(x) = k{x2 - (α + β)x + αβ}, where k is a
non-zero constant.

58. Statement-1 (A): If one root of the quadratic polynomial f(x) = (k-1)x2 - 10x + 3, k ≠ 1 is reciprocal of the other, then
k = 4.
Statement-2 (R): The product of roots of the quadratic polynomial ax2 + bx + c, a ≠ 0 is a/c.

59. Statement-1 (A): If α and β are zeroes of the quadratic polynomial x2 + 7x + 12, then 12/α + 12/β - 24αβ = 395.
Statement-2 (R): If α and β are zeroes of the quadratic polynomial ax2 + bx + c, then α + β = -b/a and αβ = c/a.

60. Statement-1 (A): If α, β and γ are the zeroes of the polynomial 6x3 + 3x2 - 5x + 1, then α-1 + β-1 + γ-1 = 5.
Statement-2 (R): If α, β, γ are the zeroes of the cubic polynomial ax3 + bx2 + cx + d, then α + β + γ = -b/a.

61. Statement-1 (A): The polynomial p(x) = x2 + 3x + 3 has two real zeroes.
[CBSE 2023]

Statement-2 (R): A quadratic polynomial can have at most two real zeroes.

62. Statement-1 (A): If the graph of a polynomial touches the x-axis at only one point, then the polynomial [CBSE 2024]
cannot be a quadratic polynomial.
Statement-2 (R): A polynomial of degree n (n > 1) can have at most n real zeroes.

63. Statement-1 (A): Degree of a zero polynomial is not defined. [CBSE 2024]
Statement-2 (R): Degree of a non-zero constant polynomial is zero.

ANSWERS KEY

[Link]. Ans [Link]. Ans [Link]. Ans [Link]. Ans [Link]. Ans

1 (d) 2 (a) 3 (b) 4 (a) 5 (a)

6 (c) 7 (a) 8 (a) 9 (c) 10 (b)

11 (b) 12 (b) 13 (c) 14 (a) 15 (b)

16 (b) 17 (a) 18 (d) 19 (a) 20 (b)

21 (b) 22 (c) 23 (b) 24 (c) 25 (b)

26 (c) 27 (b) 28 (c) 29 (d) 30 (c)

31 (d) 32 (a) 33 (b) 34 (a) 35 (d)

36 (d) 37 (c) 38 (b) 39 (b) 40 (d)

41 (a) 42 (c) 43 (b) 44 (d) 45 (c)

46 (d) 47 (d) 48 (b) 49(i) (c) 49(ii) (a)

49(iii) (b) 49(iv) (c) 49(v) (d) 50(i) (b) 50(ii) (a)

50(iii) (c) 50(iv) (b) 50(v) (c) 51(i) (b) 51(ii) (c)

51(iii) (a) 51(iv) (d) 51(v) (b) 52(i) (b) 52(ii) (b)

52(iii) (d) 52(iv) (b) 52(v) (b) 53(i) (b) 53(ii) (d)

53(iii) (c) 54(i) (c) 54(ii) (a) 54(iii) (c) 54(iv) (d)

Page 9 of 10
55(i) (c) 55(ii) (b) 55(iii) (a) 55(iv) (d) 55(v) (c)

56 (d) 57 (a) 58 (c) 59 (d) 60 (b)

61 (d) 62 (d) 63 (b) - - - -

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