Table of contents
- 0. Fundamental Concepts of Algebra3h 29m
- 1. Equations and Inequalities3h 27m
- 2. Graphs1h 43m
- 3. Functions & Graphs2h 17m
- 4. Polynomial Functions1h 54m
- 5. Rational Functions1h 23m
- 6. Exponential and Logarithmic Functions2h 28m
- 7. Measuring Angles40m
- 8. Trigonometric Functions on Right Triangles2h 5m
- 9. Unit Circle1h 19m
- 10. Graphing Trigonometric Functions1h 19m
- 11. Inverse Trigonometric Functions and Basic Trig Equations1h 41m
- 12. Trigonometric Identities 2h 34m
- 13. Non-Right Triangles1h 38m
- 14. Vectors2h 25m
- 15. Polar Equations2h 5m
- 16. Parametric Equations1h 6m
- 17. Graphing Complex Numbers1h 7m
- 18. Systems of Equations and Matrices3h 6m
- 19. Conic Sections2h 36m
- 20. Sequences, Series & Induction1h 15m
- 21. Combinatorics and Probability1h 45m
- 22. Limits & Continuity1h 49m
- 23. Intro to Derivatives & Area Under the Curve2h 9m
4. Polynomial Functions
Graphing Polynomial Functions
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Graph the polynomial function. Determine the domain and range. f(x)=(3x+2)(x−1)2
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Identify the polynomial function: f(x) = (3x + 2)(x - 1)^2. This is a cubic polynomial because the highest power of x is 3.
Determine the x-intercepts by setting f(x) = 0. Solve (3x + 2) = 0 to find x = -2/3, and solve (x - 1)^2 = 0 to find x = 1. These are the points where the graph crosses or touches the x-axis.
Analyze the behavior at each x-intercept. The factor (x - 1)^2 indicates a repeated root, meaning the graph will touch the x-axis at x = 1 and turn around, while at x = -2/3, the graph will cross the x-axis.
Determine the end behavior of the polynomial. Since the leading term is positive and the degree is odd, as x approaches infinity, f(x) will approach infinity, and as x approaches negative infinity, f(x) will approach negative infinity.
Identify the domain and range. The domain of any polynomial function is all real numbers, (-∞, ∞). The range, based on the end behavior and turning points, is also all real numbers, (-∞, ∞).
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