4.5 Analyze polynomial graphs
Unit 4 · Polynomials and polynomial functions
Ideas in this lesson
Intercepts and a value table
Find the zeros for horizontal intercepts and evaluate P(0) for the vertical intercept.
Sign between zeros
Use a test input between consecutive zeros. An odd-multiplicity zero reverses the sign; an even-multiplicity zero does not.
Turning-point bounds
A polynomial of degree n has at most n − 1 turning points. A graph can have fewer.
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