document.write( "Question 371708: what is the relationship between the zeros of a polynomial, the x-intercepts of the graph of that polynomial, and its factors of the form (x-a)? can you also give me an example to better my understanding. \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #264765 by robertb(5830) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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The zeros of a polynomial are exactly its roots, i.e., all x-values such that p(x) = 0. Some of the roots may be real, some complex. For those that are real, the roots correspond to the x-intercepts. To get the roots, we use the Fundamental Theorem of Algebra proved (arguably) by Gauss in 1799: we try to factor it into its linear factorization $\"p%28x%29+=+%28x+-+a1%29%28x+-+a2%29\"$ ... $\"%28x+-+an%29\"$ and equate each factor to zero. (Again some of them may be real, some complex.) \n" ); document.write( "

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