Solving Polynomial Equations
1. Find out how many possible zeros you can have by looking at the degree of the function.
2. Use the Rational Root Theorem to find the factors of p/q. These factors will be synthetically divided by the function to find the zeros.
P: constant term at the end of the equation
Q: leading coefficient of the 1st term
Get the factors of p & write them over as a fraction with the factors of Q as the denominator
Account for all of the different combinations
3. Use Descartes’ Rule of Signs
Count sign changes to find positive/negative/complex zeros
For negative zeros, substitute “-x” in the original function
For complex zeros just subtract the number of positive and negative zeros to find how many complex zeros.
4. Using Fundamental Theorem of Algebra
Make a chart stating all the possible combinations of zeros.
This makes it easier when testing the factors. If you only have 1 positive real zero and you find one positive real zero when plugging n the factors, then you don’t have to keep solving for positive real zeros. Move onto negative zeros. This strategy saves time.
Plug in all the factors from Step 2 of the Rational Root Theorem
Shortcut: always check your chart from Step 4.
Don’t keep solving if you’ve found the specified amount of zeros per column.
You know its a factor if you use the factor as the divisor in a problem where you are synthetically dividing the function by the factor.
Remainder is zero? It’s a factor!
Found a factor where the remainder is zero? Awesome.
Now you can use the quotient produced by the synthetic division of the function and the possible factor.
To get the degree of the depressed equation, subtract “1″ from the original degree.
This depressed equation (if it has a degree of 2/quadratic) can be used to find the remaining zeros of the function.
Look at the depressed equation to find the remaining zeros. They may even be complex.
Note: If you are solving for zeros and you can’t find them, then they might be irrational. Ewe.
8. Substitute the zeros of the function into the equation.
If they are true zeros, then the answer will always be zero.