3-3 Polynomial Graphs

Unit 3 Quadratic and Polynomial Functions

Concepts and Objectives
 Objective #11
 Identify and interpret vertical and horizontal
translations
 Identify the end behavior of a function

 Identify the number of turning points of a function

 Use the Intermediate Value Theorem and the

Boundedness Theorem to locate zeros of a function
 Use the calculator to approximate real zeros
Graphing Polynomial Functions
 If we look at graphs of functions of the form f  x   ax n ,
we can see a definite pattern:

f  x   x2 g x   x3

h x   x 4 j  x   x5
Graphing Polynomial Functions
 For a polynomial function of degree n
 If n is even, the function is an even function.

 An even function has a range of the form –∞, k] or

[k, ∞ for some real number k.
 If n is odd, the function is an odd function.

 The range of an odd function is the set of all real

numbers, –∞, ∞.
 For odd functions, the graph will have at least one
real zero (x-intercept).
Graphing Polynomial Functions
 Compare the graphs of the two functions:

f  x   x2 h x   x 2

g x   x 2  2 j  x    x  1
2
Graphing Polynomial Functions
 Vertical translation
 The graph of f  x   ax  k is shifted k units up if
n

k > 0 and |k| units down if k < 0.

 Horizontal translation
 The graph of f  x   a  x  h is shifted h units to the
n

right if h > 0 and |h| units to the left if h < 0.

Graphing Polynomial Functions
 Example: Write the equation of the function of degree 3
graphed below.

This is an odd function.

The vertex has been shifted up 3
units and to the right 2 units.

So, it’s going to be something like:

f  x   a  x  2  3
3
Graphing Polynomial Functions
 Example (cont.):

To determine what a is, we can pick

• a point and plug in values:
f 3  4
f  3  a  3  2   3  4
3

a 3  4
a 1
f  x    x  2  3
3
Multiplicity and Graphs
What is the multiplicity of g  x    x  4  ?
5

The zero 4 has multiplicity 5

 The multiplicity of a zero and whether the function is

even or odd determines what the graph does at a zero.
 A zero of multiplicity one crosses the x-axis.

 A zero of even multiplicity turns or “bounces” at the

x-axis .
 A zero of odd multiplicity greater than one crosses
the x-axis and “wiggles”.
Turning Points and End Behavior
 The point where a graph changes direction (“bounces”
or “wiggles”) is called a turning point of the function.
 A function of degree n will have at most n – 1 turning
points, with at least one turning point between each
pair of adjacent zeros.
 The end behavior of a polynomial graph is determined by
the term with the largest exponent (the dominating
term).
 For example, f  x   2x 3  8x  9 has the same end
behavior as f  x   2x 3 .
End Behavior
 Example: Use symbols for end behavior to describe the
end behavior of the graph of each function.

1. f  x    x 4  2x 2  x  8 even function
opens downward
2. g  x   x 3  3x 2  x  5 odd function
increases
3. h x    x 5  x 3  1 odd function
decreases
Intermediate Value Theorem

If fx defines a polynomial function with only real

coefficients, and if for real numbers a and b, the
values fa and fb are opposite in sign, then there
exists at least one real zero between a and b.

 This means that if we plug in two numbers and the

answers have different signs (one positive and one
negative), the function has to have crossed the x-axis
between the two values.
Intermediate Value Theorem
 Example: Show that f  x   x 3  2x 2  x  1 has a real
zero between 2 and 3.

You can either plug the values in, or you can use
synthetic division to evaluate each value.

2 1 2 1 1 3 1 2 1 1
2 0 –2 3 3 6
1 0 –1 –1 1 1 2 7

Since the sign changes, there must be a real zero

between 2 and 3.
Intermediate Value Theorem
 If fa and fb are not opposite in sign, it does not
necessarily mean that there is no zero between a and b.
Consider the function, f  x   x 2  2x  1 , at –1 and 3:

f–1 = 2 > 0 and f3= 2 >0

This would imply that there is no

zero between –1 and 3, but we can
see that f has two zeros between
those points.
Boundedness Theorem

Let fx be a polynomial function of degree n  1 with

real coefficients and with a positive leading coefficient.
If fx is divided synthetically by x – c, and

(a) if c > 0 and all numbers in the bottom row are

nonnegative, then fx has no zeros greater than c;
(b) if c < 0 and the numbers in the bottom row
alternate in sign, then fx has no zero less than c.
Boundedness Theorem
 Example: Show that the real zeros of
f  x   x 4  5x 2  3x  7
satisfy the following conditions,
a) No real zero is greater than 1
b) No real zero is less than –2
Boundedness Theorem
 Example: Show that the real zeros of
f  x   x 4  5x 2  3x  7
satisfy the following conditions,
a) No real zero is greater than 1

1 1 0 5 3 7
1 1 6 9
1 1 6 9 2

Since the bottom row numbers are all  0, fx has

no zero greater than 1.
Boundedness Theorem
 Example: Show that the real zeros of
f  x   x 4  5x 2  3x  7
satisfy the following conditions,
b) No real zero is less than –2

2 1 0 5 3  7
–2 4 –18 30
1 –2 9 –15 23

Since the signs of the bottom numbers alternate, fx

has no zero less than –2.
Approximating Real Zeros
 Example: Approximate the real zeros of
f  x    x 3  8x 2  4x  10

Step 1: Enter the function into 

Approximating Real Zeros
 Example: Approximate the real zeros of
f  x    x 3  8x 2  4x  10

Step 2: Press   and then 

Approximating Real Zeros
 Example: Approximate the real zeros of
f  x    x 3  8x 2  4x  10

Step 3: Position the cursor at the far

left above the x-axis and press 

Step 4: Move the cursor below the

x-axis and press 
Approximating Real Zeros
 Example: Approximate the real zeros of
f  x    x 3  8x 2  4x  10

Step 5: Our first zero is at –8.33594

Approximating Real Zeros
 Example: Approximate the real zeros of
f  x    x 3  8x 2  4x  10

Repeat steps 1-5 to find the next two

zeros

#2: –0.9401088
Approximating Real Zeros
 Example: Approximate the real zeros of
f  x    x 3  8x 2  4x  10

Repeat steps 1-5 to find the next two

zeros

#2: –0.9401088
#3: 1.2760488
Homework
 College Algebra
 Page 352: 21-27 (3), 48-69 (3), 81

 Turn In: 24, 48, 54, 60, 63, 66