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Lesson 3.7 DESCARTES’ RULE OF SIGNS

Key Points:
*Given a polynomial f ( x) with real coefficient then:
1. The number of positive zeros of f (x)=0 is either equal to the number of variations of sign of f (x)
or is less than this number by a positive even integer.
2. The number of negative zeros of f (−x)=0 is either equal to the number of variations of sign of
f (−x) or is less than this number by a positive even integer.

NOTE:
1. A polynomial with all coefficients positive cannot have a positive root.
2. A polynomial that has only even powers of x , has positive coefficients including the constant term,
cannot have any real roots.

Examples:
Give the possible number of positive and negative zeros of each of the following functions.
1. f (x) = x5 – x4 + 3x3 + 9x2 – x + 5
a . find the possible number of positive zeros
Solution:
Look at the polynomial as it stands, not changing the sign on x.

f (x) = x5 – x4 + 3x3 + 9x2 – x + 5

f (x) =+x5 – x4 + 3x3 + 9x2 – x + 5

1 2 3 4

4−2=2
2−2=0

Therefore, there are 4, 2, or 0 positive zeros.

b . find the possible number of negative zeros

Solution:
Look at f (–x) (that is, having changed the sign on x).

f (–x) = x5 – x4 + 3x3 + 9x2 – x + 5

f (–x) =(–x)5 – (–x)4 + 3(–x)3 + 9(–x)2 – (–x) + 5

f (–x) =–x5 – x4 – 3x3 + 9x2 + x + 5

Therefore, there is exactly 1 negative zero.

 2. f(x) = 4x7+ 3x6+x5+ 2x4– x3+ 9x2+ x+ 1
a . find the possible number of positive zeros
Solution:

f (x) = +4x7 + 3x6+x5+ 2x4–x3+ 9x2+x+ 1

1 2
2−2=0

Therefore, there are two or zero positive solutions.

b . find the possible number of negative zeros

f (–x) = 4(–x)7 + 3(–x)6 + (–x)5 + 2(–x)4 – (–x)3 + 9(–x)2 + (–x) + 1

f (–x) = –4x7 + 3x6 – x5 + 2x4 + x3 + 9x2 – x + 1

1 2 3 4 5

5−2=3
3−2=1

Therefore, there are five, three, or one negative solutions.

Exercises:
Give the possible number of positive and negative zeros of each of the following functions.

GIVEN POSITIVE ZEROS NEGATIVE ZEROS

6 4 2
1. f ( x )=x +3 x −x −3
2. f ( x )=4 x 4 +15 x3 −48 x 2+ 35 x−6
3 2
3. f ( x )=2 x +5 x −3 x+ 9
3 2
4. f ( x )=9 x +18 x +11 x +2
4 3 2
5. f ( x )=x −4 x +6 x −4 x +1
3 2
6. P ( x )=x +3 x −6 x+ 8
7. P ( x )=x 4 + 6 x 3−7 x 2−12 x−8
3 2
8. P ( x )=x +3 x −6 x +6
9. P ( x ) =2 x 3 +9 x 2−2 x −9
4 3 2
10. P ( x )=2 x −17 x +4 x +35 x−24