Algebra Examples

$f (x) = 20 x^{4} + x^{3} + 8 x^{2} + x - 12$

Step 1

If a polynomial function has integer coefficients, then every rational zero will have the form $\frac{p}{q}$ where $p$ is a factor of the constant and $q$ is a factor of the leading coefficient.

$p = \pm 1, \pm 2, \pm 3, \pm 4, \pm 6, \pm 12$

$q = \pm 1, \pm 2, \pm 4, \pm 5, \pm 10, \pm 20$

Step 2

Find every combination of $\pm \frac{p}{q}$ . These are the possible roots of the polynomial function.

$\pm 1, \pm \frac{1}{2}, \pm \frac{1}{4}, \pm \frac{1}{5}, \pm \frac{1}{10}, \pm \frac{1}{20}, \pm 2, \pm \frac{2}{5}, \pm 3, \pm \frac{3}{2}, \pm \frac{3}{4}, \pm \frac{3}{5}, \pm \frac{3}{10}, \pm \frac{3}{20}, \pm 4, \pm \frac{4}{5}, \pm 6, \pm \frac{6}{5}, \pm 12, \pm \frac{12}{5}$