Find the zeroes of the following:

1. x3 - 4x2 – x + 2 = 0
2. 2x4 - 3x3 - 7x2 + 12x – 4 = 0
3. x5 -5x3 + 4x = 0
4. x3 – x = 0
5. x4 + x3 - 7x2 - x – 6 = 0
6. x4 -5x2 + 4 = 0
Rational Zero Test
n n 1
f ( x)  an x  an 1x      a0
If a’s are integers, every rational zero of f has
𝒑 𝒂𝟎
the form rational zero = 𝒒 or 𝒂 , in reduced
𝒏
form, and p and q are factors of a0 and an,
respectively.
Example 1: Rational Zero Test
x3 - 2x2 –x + 2 = 0
𝑎0 = 2: p  {1, 2,}
𝑎𝑛 = 1 : q  {1}
𝐩
 {1, 2}
𝐪

𝐩
represents all possible rational roots of f(x) =x3 - 4x2 –x + 2
𝐪
So the possible values of x are {-2, -1, 1, 2}
Evaluate x3 - 4x2 –x + 2 by substituting x with {-2, -1, 1, 2}
Example 2: Rational Zero Test
2x4 - 3x3 - 7x2 + 12x – 4 = 0
𝑎0 = -4: p  {1, 2, 4} (factors of -4)
𝑎𝑛 = 2: q  {1, 2} (factors of 2)
𝐩
 {1, 2, 4, 1/2}
𝐪
𝐩
represents all possible rational roots of f(x) = 2x4 - 3x3 - 7x2 + 12x – 4
𝐪
So the possible values of x are {-1/2,-1, -2,-4, 1/2, 1, 2,4}
Evaluate 2x4 - 3x3 - 7x2 + 12x – 4 by substituting x with
{-1/2,-1, -2,-4, 1/2, 1, 2,4}
Example 2: Rational Zero Test
4x3 - 5x2 + 6 = 0
𝑎0 p  {1, 2, 3, 6}
𝑎𝑛 q  {1, 2, 4}
p/q  {1, 2, 3, 6, 1/2, 1/4, 3/2, 3/4}
represents all possible rational roots of f(x) = 4x3 - 5x2 + 6.
Evaluate…if there are no zeroes as a result, it means to say that
the graph will not intersect the x-axis
Polynomial Function
A polynomial function is a function in the form
P(x) = a n x n + a n -1x n -1 + a n -2 x n -2 + ... + a 2 x 2 + a 0 , a n ≠ 0
where n is a nonegativeinteger
a 0 , a1 , a 2 are real numbers
A polynomial function can be represented by a set P of
ordered pairs (x, y).
y = a n x n + a n -1x n -1 + a n -2 x n -2 + ... + a 2 x 2 + ax + a 0 , a n
if a n x n  a n 1x n 1  a n  2 x n  2  ...  a 2 x 2  a1x  a 0  0
where a n , a n 1 , a n  2 ,...a 2 , a1 , a 0 are all integers,then
P is a factor of a 0 and Q is a factor of a n .
Graph of Polynomial Function
1. f(x) = x3 – x
2. f(x) = x3 - 2x2 – x + 2
3. f(x) = x5 -5x3 + 4x
4. f(x) = 2x4 - 3x3 - 7x2 + 12x – 4
5. f(x) = x4 + x3 - 7x2 - x – 6
6. f(x) = x4 -5x2 + 4
7. f(x) = x6 - 5x5 + x4 + 25x3 – 26x2 - 20x + 24
8. f(x) = x6 - x5 - 17x4 + 5x3 + 64x2 - 4x - 48
Graph of Polynomial Function
1. leading coefficient
y=x3 - x (a>o /positive)

2. number of zeros
( at most number of
zeroes=the degree n)

3. turning points
(value of n minus 1 or n-1)

4. end behavior
(Right- goes up/rising )
(Left- goes down/falling)
Graph of Polynomial Function

1. leading coefficient
(a < o /negative)

y=-x3 + x 2. number of zeros

( at most number of
zeroes=the degree n)

3. turning points
(value of n minus 1 or n-1)

4. end behavior
(Right- goes down/falling )
(Left- goes up/rising)
 Leading Coefficient Test: n odd
n n 1
f ( x)  an x  an 1x      a0
graphs of a polynomial function for n
odd:
.

f ( x)   f ( x)  
an > 0 as x   an < 0
as x  

f ( x)   f ( x)  
as x   as x  
 Leading Coefficient Test: n even
n n 1
f ( x)  an x  an 1x      a0
graphs of a polynomial function for n
even:
.

an > 0 an < 0

f ( x)   f ( x)  
as x   as x  

f ( x)   f ( x)  
as x   as x  
Roots, Zeros, Solutions
The following statements are equivalent for
real number a and polynomial function f :
1. x = a is root or zero of f.
2. x = a is solution of f (x) = 0.
3. (x - a) is factor of f (x).
4. (a, 0) is x-intercept of graph of f (x).
Repeated Roots (Zeros)
1. If a polynomial function contains a factor (x - a)k,
then x = a is a repeated root of multiplicity k.
2. If k is even, the graph touches (not crosses) the x-axis
at x = a.
3. If k is odd, the graph crosses the x-axis at x = a.
Characteristics
The graph of a polynomial function…
1. Is continuous.
2. Has smooth, rounded turns.
3. For n even, both sides go same way.
4. For n odd, sides go opposite way.
5. For a > 0, right side goes up.
6. For a < 0, right side goes down.
Intermediate Value Theorem
If a < b are two real numbers
and f (x)is a polynomial function
with f (a)  f (b),
then f (x) takes on every real
number value between
f (a) and f (b) for a  x  b.
NOTE to Intermediate Value
Let f (x) be a polynomial function and a < b be
two real numbers.
If f (a) and f (b)
have opposite signs
(one positive and one negative),
then f (x) = 0 for a < x < b.
1. f(x) = x3 – 7x + 6
2. f(x) = (x + 2)(x + 1)(x – 3)(x – 1)
3. f(x) = x 4 – x3 – 7x2 +x+6

4. f(x) = (x – 2)(x – 1)(x +3)

 3 2
1. y =x − 7x − 7x + 12
5 3
2. y= −𝑥 + 5𝑥 − 4𝑥
3. y =𝐱 𝟒 − 𝟕𝐱 𝟐 + 𝟔𝐱
4. y= −𝒙𝟒 + 𝟐𝒙𝟑 − 𝟏𝟒𝒙 – 24
Upper and Lower Bound
f(x) is a polynomial with real coefficients and
an > 0 with f(x)  (x - c), using synthetic division:

1. If c > 0 and each # in last row is either positive

or zero, c is an upper bound.
2. If c < 0 and the #’s in the last row alternate
positive and negative, c is an lower bound.
1. y = 2x3 – 7x2 – 7x + 12
2. y = –x5 + 5x3 – 4x
3. y = x – 7x + 6x
4 2

4. y = – x4 + 2x3 + 13x2 – 14x – 24

1. How would you relate the number of
turning points with the degree of
each function?
2. What can be said about the
number of zeros that each graph has
and its relationship with the degree
of its respective function?
3. What seems to be true with the graph’s
end behavior and its degree? the
value of its leading coefficient?
1.
2. 𝟓 𝟑
y= −𝒙 + 𝟓𝒙 − 𝟒𝒙
3. 𝟒 𝟐
y =𝒙 − 𝟕𝒙 + 𝟔𝒙
 𝟒 𝟑
4. y= −𝒙 + 𝟐𝒙 − 𝟏𝟒𝒙 – 24
 y = (2x+3)(𝒙 − 𝟏)(𝒙 − 𝟒)

 Isthe leading coefficient a positive or a

negative number?
Positive Leading Coefficient

 Isthe polynomial of even degree or odd

degree?
Odd Degree
 y = (2x+3)(𝒙 − 𝟏)(𝒙 − 𝟒)

 How many turning points do the graph

has? Two(2) turning points

 Observe the end behaviors of the graph

on both sides. Is it rising or falling to the
left or to the right?
The graph is falling to the left and
rising to the right.
 y= −𝒙𝟓 + 𝟓𝒙𝟑 − 𝟒𝒙

y = −𝒙 𝒙 + 𝟏 𝒙 − 𝟏
(𝒙 + 𝟐)(𝒙 − 𝟐)

 Isthe leading coefficient a positive or a

negative number?
Negative Leading Coefficient

 Isthe polynomial of even degree or odd

degree?
Odd Degree
 y= −𝒙𝟓 + 𝟓𝒙𝟑 − 𝟒𝒙

y = −𝒙 𝒙 + 𝟏 𝒙 − 𝟏
(𝒙 + 𝟐)(𝒙 − 𝟐)

 How many turning points do the graph

has? Four(4) turning points

 Observe the end behaviors of the graph

on both sides. Is it rising or falling to the
left or to the right?
The graph is rising to the left and
falling to the right
 y =𝐱 𝟒 − 𝟕𝐱 𝟐 + 𝟔𝐱
y = x(x+3)(𝒙 − 𝟏)(𝒙 − 2)

 Isthe leading coefficient a positive or a

negative number?
Positive Leading Coefficient

 Isthe polynomial of even degree or odd

degree?
Even Degree
 y =𝐱 𝟒 − 𝟕𝐱 𝟐 + 𝟔𝐱
y = x(x+3)(𝒙 − 𝟏)(𝒙 − 2)

 How many turning points do the graph

has? Three(3) turning points

 Observe the end behaviors of the graph

on both sides. Is it rising or falling to the
left or to the right?
The graph is rising to the left and
to the right
 y = −𝐱 𝟒 + 𝟐𝐱 𝟑 − 𝟏𝟒𝐱 – 24

y=− 𝐱+𝟑 𝐱+𝟏

(𝐱 − 𝟐)(𝐱 − 𝟒)

 Isthe leading coefficient a positive or a

negative number?
Negative Leading Coefficient

 Isthe polynomial of even degree or odd

degree?
Even Degree
 y = −𝐱 𝟒 + 𝟐𝐱 𝟑 − 𝟏𝟒𝐱 – 24

y=− 𝐱+𝟑 𝐱+𝟏

(𝐱 − 𝟐)(𝐱 − 𝟒)

 How many turning points do the graph

has? Three(3) turning points

 Observe the end behaviors of the graph

on both sides. Is it rising or falling to the
left or to the right?
The graph is falling to the left and
to the right
1. SMOOTH CURVE - the turning points
are not sharp
2. CONTINUOUS CURVE – if you
traced the graph with a pen, you
would never have to lift the pen
3. The DOMAIN is the set of real
numbers
4. The X – INTERCEPT is the abscissa
of the point where the graph touches
the x – axis.
5. ABSOLUTE MAXIMUM/MINIMUM is
the highest or lowest point
(respectively) of the graph of a
polynomial function.
6. RELATIVE MAXIMUM/MINIMUM are
the turning points of the graph of a
polynomial function.
 End behavior is determined by the
leading term
y  4x  6x  x
4 3
yx 3

y  x  2x
2
y  x  2x
3
 DESCARTES RULE OF SIGNS
Remember:
f(x) is a polynomial equation with real
coefficients, the leading coefficient an > 0, with
descending powers of x.
1. The number of positive roots of f(x) = 0 is either
equal to the number of variations in signs in
f(x), or less than that number by an even
counting number.

2. The number of negative roots of f(x) = 0 is

either equal to the number of variations in
signs in f(-x), or less than that number by an
even counting number.
1. f(x) = 2x3 – 7x2 – 7x + 12
+ - - +

f(x) has 2 variations in sign

f(-x) = -2x3 -7x+ 7x + 12
2

- - + +
f(-x) has 1 variations in sign
Number of possible Roots
+ Roots - Roots Imaginary
2 1 0
0 1 2
2. y = x4 – 7x2 + 6x
+ - +

f(x) has 2 variations in sign

f(-x) = x4 – 7x- 6x
2

+ - -
f(-x) has 1 variations in sign
Number of possible Roots
+ Roots - Roots Imaginary
2 1 1
0 1 3
Intermediate Value Theorem
If a < b are two real numbers and f (x)is a
polynomial function with f (a)  f (b), then f (x)
takes on every real number value between
f (a) and f (b) for a  x  b.
NOTE to Intermediate Value
Let f (x) be a polynomial function and a < b be
two real numbers.
If f (a) and f (b)
have opposite signs
(one positive and one negative),
then f (x) = 0 for a < x < b.
Descartes’s Rule of Signs
n n 1
f ( x)  an x  an 1x      a0
a’s are real numbers, an  0, and a0  0.
1. Number of positive real zeros of f equals
number of variations in sign of f(x), or less than
that number by an even integer.
2. Number of negative real zeros of f equals
number of variations in sign of f(-x), or less
than that number by an even integer.
Example 1: Descartes’s Rule of Signs

3 2
f ( x)  4 x  5x  6
a’s are real numbers, an  0, and a  0.
0

1. f(x) has two change-of-signs; thus,

f(x) has two or zero positive real
roots.
2. f(-x) = -4x3 - 5x2 + 6 has one change-
of-signs; thus, f(x) has one negative
real root.
Example 2: Descartes’s Rule of Signs

3 2
f ( x)  4 x  5x  6 x
Factor out x; f(x) = x(4x2 - 5x + 6) = xg(x)
1. g(x) has two change-of-signs; thus, g(x)
has two or zero positive real roots.
2. g(-x) = 4x2 + 5x + 6 has zero change-of-
signs; thus, g(x) has no negative real
root.
Upper and Lower Bound
f(x) is a polynomial with real coefficients and an
> 0 with
f(x)  (x - c), using synthetic division:
1. If c > 0 and each # in last row is either positive
or zero, c is an upper bound.
2. If c < 0 and the #’s in the last row alternate
positive and negative, c is an lower bound.
* c must be greater than the largest zero
* c must be lesser than the smallest zero
Example 4: Upper and Lower Bound

2x3 - 3x2- 12x + 8 divided by x + 3

-3 2 -3 -12 8
-6 27 -45

2 -9 15 -37
c = -3 < 0 and #’s in last row alternate
positive/negative. Thus, x = -3 is a
lower bound to real roots.