If you have a polynomial where the leading coefficient is positive and the degree is odd, what is the end behavior?

1 Answer
Feb 17, 2017

As x->-oo, y->-oo and as x->oo, y->oo and curve cuts x-axis at the zeros of the function y=f(x)

Explanation:

In a polynomial say y=f(x), (f(x) being a polynomial), where the leading coefficient is positive and the degree is odd,

this means that as x->-oo, as the degree is odd, y->-oo

and as x->oo, as the degree is odd, y->oo

Further in between the curve will cut the x-axis at all the zeros of the function y=f(x)

For example let y=(x-2)^2(x+3)(x-5)(x+4)

Here we observe the above behavior and it cuts x-axis at {-4,-3,2,5}
graph{(x-2)^2(x+3)(x-5)(x+4) [-10, 10, -360, 300]}