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How Do You Determine the Zeros of a Polynomial Function from a Table of Values?
Using the table given and the Location Principle, determine where the zeros of the function occur.
Summary
- f(x) is a function depending on 'x'
- A zero of a function is where the graph crosses the x-axis
- When the sign of f(x) changes, that means we will have a zero between their corresponding x-values
- Three sign changes mean that there are three zeros
- There's a sign change between f(-1) and f(0), f(2) and f(3), and f(3) and f(4)

Notes
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- If the value of f(x) switches signs, then the function crosses the x-axis between those x-values
- The same thing is true if f(a) < 0 and f(b) > 0 -- there will also be a zero between 'a' and 'b'
- Zeros are the points where a function crosses the x-axis
- f(x) is a function that depends on 'x', and 'a' and 'b' are x-values that we plug into the function
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- If the sign of f(x) changes, then we have a zero between those two points
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- If the sign of f(x) changes, then we have a zero between those two points
- f(x) switches from negative to positive when we go from -2 to 7
- f(x) switches from positive to negative when we go from 1 to -2
- f(x) switches from negative to positive when we go from -2 to 3
- The graph will cross the x-axis between the x-values that go with each of those points
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- The sign changes occur between:
- x = -1 and x = 0
- x = 2 and x = 3
- x = 3 and x = 4
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- The zeros of a function are where the graph crosses the x-axis
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- If the sign of f(x) changes, then we have a zero between those two points
- There's a sign change between f(-1) and f(0)
- There's also one between f(2) and f(3)
- The last zero is between f(3) and f(4)
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- Any place where the graph crosses the x-axis is a zero of the function
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- Any place where the graph crosses the x-axis is a zero of the function
- The zeros are between -1 and 0
- 2 and 3
- and 3 and 4