Precalculus: Mathematics for Calculus, 7th Edition

Published by Brooks Cole
ISBN 10: 1305071751
ISBN 13: 978-1-30507-175-9

Chapter 3 - Section 3.4 - Real Zeros of Polynomials - 3.4 Exercises - Page 283: 22

Answer

$P(x)=(x-1)(x+10)(x+2)$ Zeros: $-10, -2$ and $1$

Work Step by Step

$P(x)=x^{3}+11x^{2}+8x-20,$ (1 sign variation, we expect 1 positive real zero) $P(-x)=-x^{3}+11x^{2}-8x-20,$ (2 sign variations, we expect 0 or 2 negative real zeros) $a_{0}=-20, $ p: $\pm 1,\pm 2,\pm 4,\pm 5,\pm 10,\pm 20$ $a_{n}=1,\qquad $q: $\pm 1, $ Possible rational zeros $\displaystyle \frac{p}{q}:\quad$ $\pm 1,\pm 2,\pm 4,\pm 5,\pm 10,\pm 20.$ Test $x= 1 $ by synthetic division: $\left[\begin{array}{lllllll} \underline{1|} & 1 & 11 & 8 & -20 & & \\ & & 1 & 12 & 20 & & \\ & -- & -- & -- & -- & & \\ & 1 & 12 & 20 & \underline{|0} & \Rightarrow & P(1)=0, \end{array}\right.$ $P(x)=(x-1)(x^{2}+12x+20)$ To factor the trinomial, search for two factors of $+20$ whose sum is $+12.$ (These are $+10$ and $+2)$ $P(x)=(x-1)(x+10)(x+2)$ Zeros: $-10, -2$ and $1$
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