document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1102160>Question 1102160</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> The question is: <BR>\n" );
document.write( "If the function f(x) has the lowest possible degree then the multiplicity of the zero at 1 is____?\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "I thought the lowest degree would be degree zero so that the function would be a straight horizontal line y=some number. The answer is a multiplicity of 2. I don't understand.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Thanks  </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #716806 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=greenestamps><B>greenestamps(13200)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=greenestamps><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=greenestamps><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=716806\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> <br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "With the question as you show it, all we know is that there is a root at x=1.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "With only that, the answer can't be that the multiplicity is 0, as you say you thought it should be; a multiplicity of 0 would mean there is not a root there.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "But with nothing else in the given information, you could certainly have a root of multiplicity 1 at x=1; y=x-1 would be the simplest example.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "So if the correct answer is that the root has to have multiplicity 2, then there is something missing in your statement of the problem. </SPAN>\n" );
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