How do I use zero factor property in reverse?

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How do I use zero factor property in reverse?

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Answer 1 · 2014-08-22T05:25:29

You use it to determine the polynomial function.

We can use it for higher degree polynomials, but let's use a cubic as an example. Suppose we have the zeros: -3, 2.5, and 4. So:

$x=-3$
$x+3=0$

$x=2.5$
$x=5/2$
$2x=5$ multiply both sides by denominator
$2x-5=0$

$x=4$
$x-4=0$

So, the polynomial function is $P(x)=(x+3)(2x-5)(x-4)$ . Note that we can leave the second root as $(x-2.5)$ , because a proper polynomial function has integer coefficients. It's also a good idea to put this polynomial into standard form:

$P(x)=2x^3-7x^2-19x+60$

The common mistake in this problem is the sign of the roots. So make sure you do the individuals steps to avoid this mistake.

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How do I use zero factor property in reverse?

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