how do you find a polynomial of degree 4 with -2 as a zero
of multiplicity 2 and 0 and 3 as zeros of multiplicity 1.
Make a row of equations with x = each of the zeros,
as many times as their multiplicities:
x = -2, x = -2, x = 0, x = 3
Get 0 on the right of each equation:
x + 2 = 0 x + 2 = 0 x = 0, x - 3 = 0
Write the product of all the left sides:
(x + 2)(x + 2)(x)(x - 3) = 0
Multiply them all together:
(x2 + 4x + 4)(x2 - 3x) = 0
x4 - 3x3 + 4x3 - 12x2 + 4x2 - 12x = 0
Collect like terms
x4 + x3 - 8x2 - 12x = 0
Set P(x) = the left side:
P(x) = x4 + x3 - 8x2 - 12x
Edwin