What are all the possible rational zeros for #f(x)=10x^3-15x^2-16x+12# and how do you find all zeros?
1 Answer
The "possible" rational zeros are:
#+-1/10, +-1/5, +-3/10, +-2/5, +-1/2, +-3/5, +-4/5, +-1, +-6/5, +-3/2, +-2, +-12/5, +-3, +-4, +-6, +-12#
The actual zeros are:
#2" "# and#" "-1/4+-sqrt(265)/20#
Explanation:
Given:
#f(x) = 10x^3-15x^2-16x+12#
By the rational root theorem, any rational zeros of
That means that the only possible rational zeros are:
#+-1/10, +-1/5, +-3/10, +-2/5, +-1/2, +-3/5, +-4/5, +-1, +-6/5, +-3/2, +-2, +-12/5, +-3, +-4, +-6, +-12#
Trying a few of the simpler values, we eventually find:
#f(2) = 10(color(blue)(2))^3-15(color(blue)(2))^2-16(color(blue)(2))+12#
#color(white)(f(2)) = 80-60-32+12#
#color(white)(f(2)) = 0#
So
#10x^3-15x^2-16x+12 = (x-2)(10x^2+5x-6)#
The remaining quadratic factor is in the standard form
This has discriminant
#Delta = b^2-4ac = 5^2-4(10)(-6) = 25+240 = 265#
This is positive but not a perfect square. Hence we can deduce that the remaining zeros are real but irrational. We can find the zeros using the quadratic formula:
#x = (-b+-sqrt(b^2-4ac))/(2a)#
#color(white)(x) = (-b+-sqrt(Delta))/(2a)#
#color(white)(x) = (-5+-sqrt(265))/(2*10)#
#color(white)(x) = (-5+-sqrt(265))/20#
#color(white)(x) = -1/4+-sqrt(265)/20#