Ly Ba Hoang - 1695172 MTH 1114 Homeworks

Section 2.2

Homeworks of section 2.2 includes: 17, 21, 43, 59, 67, 73, 89.

17. Sketch the graph of y = x4 and each transformation:

(b) f (x) = x4 − 3
(a) f (x) = (x + 3) 4 1
4 (d) f (x) = (x − 1)4
(c) f (x) = 4 − x 2 4
(e) f (x) = (2x)4 + 1 1
(f) f (x) = x −2
2
Solution
y
y = x4
4

3
The graph of y = x4 is similar to the graph of y = x2 ,
as shown in the figure: 2

1
x
−2 −1 1 2
(a) The graph of the function f (x) = (x + 3)4 results from the horizontally left shift of the graph of y = x4 , as
shown below:

y
y = (x + 3)4
4

1
x
−5 −4 −3 −2 −1 1

(b) The graph of the function f (x) = x4 − 3 is obtained by shifting the graph of y = x4 vertically downward 3
units, as shown below:

y
y = x4 − 3
1
−2 −1 1 2
x

−1

−2

−3

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Ly Ba Hoang - 1695172 MTH 1114 Homeworks

(c) The graph of the function f (x) = 4 − x4 is obtained by reflecting the graph of y = x4 in the x-axis, and
then shifting this graph vertically up 4 units, as shown below:

1
x
−2 −1 1 2
y = 4 − x4
−1

1
(d) The graph of the function f (x) = (x − 1)4 is obtained by shifting the graph of y = x4 to the right 1 unit,
2
1
and multiplying each output of y = x by (or the graph of y = x4 is vertically compressed)), as shown in the
4
2
figure:

3
1
y = (x − 1)4
2
2

x
−2 −1 1 2
−1

1
(e) The graph of the function f (x) = (2x)4 + 1 is obtained by multiplying each x-coordinate of y = x4 by
2
(or the graph of y = x4 is horizontally compressed)), and then shifting it vertically upward 1 unit, as shown
below:

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Ly Ba Hoang - 1695172 MTH 1114 Homeworks

y = (2x)4 + 1
y

1
x
−2 −1 1 2

−1

1 4
 
(f) The graph of the function f (x) = x − 2 is obtained by multiplying each x-coordinate of y = x4 by 2
2
(or the graph is horizontally stretched), and then shifting it vertically downward 2 units, as shown below:

4 1
y = ( x)4 − 1
2
3

1
x
−2 −1 1 2

−1

21. Describe the left-hand and right-hand behavior of the graph of the polynomial function
7
g(x) = 5 − x − 3x2
2
Solution

The degree is even and the leading coefficient is negative, so the graph falls to the right and to the left.

43. In Exercises 43, (a) find all real zeros of the polynomial function g(t) = t5 − 6t3 + 9t, (b) determine
whether the multiplicity of each zero is even or odd, (c) determine the maximum possible number of
turning points of the graph of the function, and (d) use a graphing utility to graph the function and
verify your answers.

Solution

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Ly Ba Hoang - 1695172 MTH 1114 Homeworks

(a) The real zeros of the function are the roots of the equation f (t) = 0:

t5 − 6t3 + 9t = 0 ⇔ t(t4 − 6t2 + 9) = 0

⇔ t(t2 − 3)2 = 0
√ √
⇔ t(t − 3)2 (t + 3)2 = 0

t=√ 0
⇔ t= √
 3
t=− 3

√ √
Thus, the polynomial function has three real zeros: t = 0, t = 3, and t = − 3 .

(b) Since t1 is a factor of g(t), t = 1 is a zero of multiplicity 1 of g (odd).

√ √ √ √
Since (t − 3)2 and (t + 3)2 are factors of g(t), t = 3 and t = − 3 are real zeros of multiplicity 2 of g
(even).

(c) The function is a fifth-degree polynomial, so the graph of g can have at most 4 turning points.
(d) The graph of the function is shown below:

x
−3 −2 −1 0 1 2 3

−2

−4

−6

√ √
59. Find a polynomial function that has the given zeros: 1+ 2, 1− 2 (There are many correct answers.)

Solution
√ √
Since the function has two real zeros: 1 + 2 and 1 − 2, the two factors of the function will be:

√ √
x − (1 + 2) and x − (1 − 2)

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Ly Ba Hoang - 1695172 MTH 1114 Homeworks

Thus, one of the polynomial function that has the give zeros is
√ √
f (x) = [x − (1 + 2)][x − (1 − 2)]
√ √
= [(x − 1) − 2][(x − 1) + 2]
= (x − 1)2 − 2
= x2 − 2x − 1

67. Find a polynomial of degree 4 that has the given zero(s): x = −5, 1, 2 (There are many correct
answers.)

Solution

Because the polynomial has three real zeros but its degree is 4, one of its real zero will be the multiplicity 2 of
the polynomial. In other words, one factor will appear two times.
Three factors of the polynomial are
(x + 5), (x − 1), and (x − 2)

I assume that the factor (x − 1) will repeat two times, thus a polynomial of degree 4 is
f (x) = (x + 5)(x − 1)2 (x − 2)
= (x2 + 3x − 10)(x2 − 2x + 1)
= x4 − 2x3 + x2 + 3x3 − 6x2 + 3x − 10x2 + 20x − 10
= x4 + x3 − 15x2 + 23x − 10

73. Sketch the graph of the function f (x) = x3 − 25x by (a) applying the Leading Coefficient Test,
(b) Finding the real zeros of the polynomial, (c) Plotting sufficient solution points, and (d) drawing a
continuous curve through the points.

Solution

(a) Apply the Leading Coefficient Test. The leading coefficient is positive (= 1) and the degree is odd, so I
know that the graph falls to the left and rises to the right.
(b) Find the real zeros of the polynomial. Real zeros of the polynomial is all the roots of the equation:
f (x) = 0 ⇔ x3 − 25x = 0
⇔ x(x2 − 25) = 0
⇔ x(x − 5)(x + 5) = 0

x=0
⇔ x=5
x = −5

Thus, the given polynomial has three real zeros: x = 0, 5, −5. All these zeros are the multiplicity of one of the
polynomial.
(c) Plotting a few additional points. Use the zeros of the polynomial to find the test intervals.In each test interval,
choose a representative x-value and evaluate the polynomial function, as shown in the table.
Test interval Representative Value of f Sign Point on Graph
x-value
(−∞, −5) −6 −66 Negative (−6, −66)
(−5, 0) −1 24 Positive (−1, 24)
(0, 5) 1 −24 Negative (1, −24)
5, +∞) 6 66 Positive (6, 66)

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Ly Ba Hoang - 1695172 MTH 1114 Homeworks

(d) Draw the graph.

y (6, 66)
60
40
20
x
−6 −4 −2 2 4 6
−20
−40
−60
(−6, −66)

89. f (x) = x3 − 3x2 + 3 (a) use the Intermediate Value Theorem and the table feature of a graphing
utility to find intervals one unit in length in which the polynomial function is guaranteed to have a zero,
(b) Adjust the table to approximate the zeros of the function to the nearest thousandth.

Solution

Begin by computing a few function values.

x −10 −1 0 1 2 3 10
f (x) −1297 −1 3 1 −1 3 703

The value f (−1) is negative and f (0) is positive, so by the Intermediate Value Theorem, the function has a real
zero between −1 and 0. This means x1 ∈ (−1, 0).
The value f (1) is positive and f (2) is positive, so the function also has a real zero between 1 and 2. This means
x2 ∈ (1, 2).
The value f (2) is negative and f (3) is positive, so the function has a real zero between 2 and 3. This means
x3 ∈ (2, 3).
Because the function is a polynomial of degree 3, it has at most 3 real zeros, and I have determine the ranges
they belong to.
Firstly, I will approximate the real zero within the interval (−1, 0) to the nearest thousandth. I divided the
interval (−1, 0) into tenths and apply the Intermediate Value Theorem to pinpoint the zero. When I do this, I
find that:
f (−0.9) = −0.159 and f (−0.8) = 0.568

Thus, x1 must be between −0.9 and −0.8. I continue divide the interval (−0.9, −0.8) into tenths and evaluate
the function at each point, and I find that
f (−0.88) = −4.672 × 10−3 and f (−0.87) = 0.0708

So, x1 must be between −0.88 and −0.87. Continue the process, I find that
f (−0.880) = −4.672 × 10−3 and f (−0.879) = 2.936 × 10−3

So, x1 must be between −0.880 and −0.879. Repeat the process one more time, I find that
f (−0.8794) = −1.121 × 10−4 and f (−0.8793) = 6.475 × 10−4

Thus, the first real zeros of the function to the nearest thousandth is −0.879 .
Applying the same process, I find the other two real zeros of the function are 1.347 and 2.532

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