What are all the possible rational zeros for #f(x)=2x^3-8x^2+15x-27# and how do you find all zeros?
1 Answer
Possible rational zeros:
#+-1/2, +-1, +-3/2, +-3, +-9/2, +-9, +-27/2, +-27#
Actual zeros:
#x = 3" "# and#" "x = 1/2(1+-sqrt(17)i)#
Explanation:
Given:
#f(x) = 2x^3-8x^2+15x-27#
By the rational root theorem, any rational zeros of
That means that the only possible rational zeros are:
#+-1/2, +-1, +-3/2, +-3, +-9/2, +-9, +-27/2, +-27#
Using Descartes' Rule of Signs, note that the pattern of the signs of the coefficients of
After a bit of trial and error, we find:
#f(3) = 2(color(blue)(3))^3-8(color(blue)(3))^2+15(color(blue)(3))-27#
#color(white)(f(3)) = 54-72+45-27 = 0#
So
#2x^3-8x^2+15x-27 = (x-3)(2x^2-2x+9)#
Note that the discriminant of the remaining quadratic factor is negative, so it has non-real complex zeros.
We can complete the square (or use the quadratic formula) to find them.
For example:
#0 = 2(2x^2-2x+9)#
#color(white)(0) = 4x^2-4x+1+17#
#color(white)(0) = (2x-1)^2+(sqrt(17))^2#
#color(white)(0) = (2x-1)^2-(sqrt(17)i)^2#
#color(white)(0) = ((2x-1)-sqrt(17)i)((2x-1)+sqrt(17)i)#
#color(white)(0) = (2x-1-sqrt(17)i)(2x-1+sqrt(17)i)#
So:
#x = 1/2(1+-sqrt(17)i)#