2.

5
Real Zeros of
Polynomial Functions

Descartes Rule of Signs

1. The number of positive real zeros of f is
either equal to the number of sign changes of
f(x) or is less by an even integer.
2. The number of negative real zeros of f is
either equal to the number of sign changes of
f(-x) or is less by an even integer.
Ex. Apply Descartes’s Rule of Signs to

f(x) = 2x4 + 7x3 – 4x2 – 27x - 18

How many sign variations are there in f(x)?

Only one sign change, so f must have exactly
one positive real zero.
How about f(-x)
f(-x) = 2x4 – 7x3 – 4x2 + 27x -18

3 variations in sign means f has either 3 or 1

negative real zeros.
Apply Descartes’s Rule to f(x) = x3 – x + 1

2 or 0 (+) - + +
1 (-)

The Rational Zero Test

p
Rational Zero =
q
p = a factor of the constant term
q = a factor of the leading coefficient
 Find the rational zeros of Descartes Rule
Ex. f(x) = x4 – x3 + x2 – 3x - 6 3 or 1 (+)
1 (-)
factors of 6
Possible rational zeros =
factors of 1
 1,2,3,6
   1,2,3,6
1
Start with 1
1 -1 1 -3 -6
1 1 0 1 -2 -8 did not = 0, so not a zero
2 1 1 3 3 0 Works! (x – 2) is a factor
-1 1 0 3 0 Works! (x + 1) is a factor
(x2 + 3)(x – 2)(x + 1) are the factors & -1 and 2 are zeros
Ex. Find the rational zeros of f(x) = 2x3 + 3x2 – 8x + 3
 1,3 1 3
Desc. 2 or 0 (+) Poss. zeros  1,3, ,
1 (-)  1,2 2 2

2 3 -8 3
1 2 5 -3 0 It works!

(x – 1)(2x2 + 5x –3)
(x – 1)(2x – 1)(x + 3)
1 ½ -3
 Ex. f(x) = 10x3 – 15x2 – 16x + 12
Desc. 2 or 0 (+) Poss. Zeros  1,2,3,4,6,12
1 (-)
 1,2,5,10
1 3 1 2 3 1 3 4 6 12
 1,2,3,4,6,12, , , , , , , , , ,
2 2 5 5 5 10 10 5 5 5
10 -15 -16 12
1 10 -5 -21 -9
2 10 5 -6 0 Works!  .5639
(x – 2)(10x2 + 5x – 6) Quad. form  1.0639
Use the given zero to find all the zeros of the function.

Given: 3i f(x) = x3 + x2 + 9x + 9
If 3i is a zero, then -3i, it’s conjugate, is a zero.
Multiply these zeros in factored form.
(x - 3i)(x + 3i) = x2 + 9

x 1
2 3

x  0x  9 x  x  9x  9
2

Zeros are 3i, -3i, and -1