Stage 1 Mathematics: Investigating the features of polynomials

Introduction:

A real polynomial function of degree 4 is a function of the form P ( x ) =a x 4 +b x 3+ c x 2 +dx +e where

a , b , c , d and e . There are 7 forms in which a real polynomial with degree of 4 can be factorised
and conjectures can be made for these different forms. 1 An investigation has been undergone to
investigate the graphs of real polynomials of degree 4 with particular reference to the number of turning
points and the number if inflection points. A suitable graphing package was used to do this. 2

Main Body:

Table 1: Three polynomials in the form of P( x)=a(x )( x )(x )( x ), a 0 .

Polynomial Function, Roots Number Number of Graph
P( x) Used of Turning Points of
Points Inflection
x= 1,-+3)
y=( x 1)(x +5)( x3)(x 3 None
5,3,-3

x= -20,+9)
y=(x+ 20)( x +3)(x10)(x 3 None
-3, 10,
-9
 Stage 1 Mathematics: Investigating the features of polynomials

x= -8, 4,
y=( x +8)( x4)( x8)(x +2) 3 None
8, 2

Table 2: Three polynomials in the form of P( x)=a( x )(x )( x )(x )(x), a 0 .

Polynomial Function, Roots Number Number of Graph
P( x) Used of Turning Points of
Points Inflection
x= 1,- +3)( x8)
y=( x 1)(x +5)( x3)(x 4 None
5,3,-3, 8

x= -20,+9)( x15)
y=( x+ 20)( x +3)(x10)(x 4 None
-3, 10,
-9, 15
 Stage 1 Mathematics: Investigating the features of polynomials

x= -8, 4,
y=( x +8)( x4)( x8)(x 4
+2)(x6) None
8, -2, 6

Table 3: A polynomial in the form of P ( x ) =a ( x )( x ) ( x ) , a 0

Polynomial Function, Roots Number Number of Graph

P( x) Used of Turning Points of
Points Inflection
x= 1,-5,
y=( x 1)(x +5)( x3) 2 None
3

Table 4: Three polynomials in the form of P( x)=a(x )2 (x)( x ), a 0

Polynomial Function, Roots Number Number of Graph
P( x) Used of Turning Points of
Points Inflection
 Stage 1 Mathematics: Investigating the features of polynomials

x= 1, -3,
y=( x 1)2 ( x +3)( x8) 3 None
8

x= -20,
y=( x+ 20)2 ( x +3)( x10) 3 None
-3, 10

2
x= -8, 4,
y=( x +8) ( x4)( x8) 3 None
8

Table 5: A polynomial in the form of P( x)=a(x )2 (x)( x )(x) , a 0

Polynomial Function, Roots Number Number of Graph
P( x) Used of Turning Points of
Points Inflection
 Stage 1 Mathematics: Investigating the features of polynomials

x= 1, -5,
y=( x 1)2 ( x +5)( x3)( x+ 3) 4 None
3, -3

2
Table 6: A polynomial of form P ( x ) =a ( x ) ( x ) ( x )
Polynomial Function, Roots Number Number of Graph
P( x) Used of Turning Points of
Points Inflection
y=2 ( x3 )2 (x +5)(x+x=
3) 3, -5, 3 None
-3,

2
Table 7: Two polynomials of the forms P ( x ) =( x + x +)(x )( x+ ) and
x=a ( x )3 ( x )( x )
P
Polynomial Function, Roots Number Number of Graph
P( x) Used of Points of
Turning Inflection
Points
 Stage 1 Mathematics: Investigating the features of polynomials

x= )
y=( 3 x 2 +8 x+ 4 ) ( x3 )( x +5 3 None
8+ 4 i 84 i
, ,
6 6
3, -5

x= 3, -5,
y=2 ( x3 )3 (x +5)( x+ 3) 2 1
-3,

Calculations for P ( x ) =( 3 x2 +8 x +4 ) ( x3 ) ( x+5 )

2
i =1

( 3 x 2+ 8 x + 4 ) ( x3 ) ( x+ 5 )
a=3 b=8 c=4

b b24 ac
x=
2a
(8) 16
x=
2(3)

8 (1 )16
x=
6

8 i216
x=
6
8 4 i
x= =conjugate roots
6
 2
=b 4 ac

=824 ( 3 )( 4 )
Stage 1 Mathematics: Investigating the features of polynomials
=6448
=16
Analysis

Two conjectures that seem to make themselves evident in tables 1 and 2, for the turning points is for
n number of degrees, there are n1 number of turning points. And as no points of inflection is
evident, another conjecture that can be made is for the form,
P ( x ) =a ( x )( x ) ( x ) ( x ) , where a 0 , no inflection points will occur.
As shown in table 3, there were 2 turning points and 3 degrees, supporting the above conjecture as this
follows the n1=number of turning points conjecture.

The forms shown in table 4 and 5 supports the previous conjecture about the turning points that was
made above for the turning points, for n number of degrees, there are n1 number of turning
points. The tables also support a similar conjecture of the inflection points, as points of inflection are
still not evident, for the form, P( x)=a(x )2 (x)( x )(x ) , where a 0 , no
inflection points will occur.

Table 6 also supports all the above conjectures that were made.

Table 7 shows two different forms of polynomials, one which follows the conjectures as far and one that
does not. The equation in the form of P ( x ) = ( x2 + x+ )(x )( x+ ) has 3 turning points, 4
degrees and no inflection points, following all the previous conjectures. The other equation in the form
3
x=a ( x ) (x )( x ) , does not follow any of the conjectures made thus far. The number
of
P
of turning points is calculated with n3 , not n1 like the other equations, and has an inflection
point, unlike the other equations.

Conclusion:

From this investagtion, we conclude that for the forms

2
P ( x ) =a ( x )( x ) ( x ) ( x ) , P ( x ) =a ( x ) ( x ) ( x ) ( x ) P ( x )= ( x 2+ x+ ) ( x )( x + ) ,
, the following relationships can be made: the number of turning points is one less than the number of
degrees ( n1=No. of Turning Points ) and there are no inflections present. Any equation with a
root to the power of 3 and higher (E.g. P ( x ) =2 ( x3 )3 , P ( x ) =2 ( x3 )4 , ) have the following
relationships can be made: the number of turning points is three less than the number of degrees (
n3=No . of Turning Points ) and there are one or more inflections present (depending on the
power of the root).
1 Haese M. et.al. 2015, Mathematics for Australia 11 Mathematical Methods, 1st Edn, Haese Mathematics, Marleston, SA.
2 Graphing Package Used: Texas Instruments 84 CE