SOLUTION: When you are trying to find all of the possible rational zeros, I think you are supposed to use +/- p/q. But how do you find p/q, and is that what you are supposed to use?

Algebra ->  Rational-functions -> SOLUTION: When you are trying to find all of the possible rational zeros, I think you are supposed to use +/- p/q. But how do you find p/q, and is that what you are supposed to use?      Log On


   

Question 39303: When you are trying to find all of the possible rational zeros, I think you are supposed to use +/- p/q. But how do you find p/q, and is that what you are supposed to use?
Answer by fractalier(6550) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let me show you by example...let's say we wish to find roots/zeroes of
6x^3 - 8x^2 + 5x - 3 = 0
We know our roots must be ± p/q where p are the factors of -3 and q are the factors of 6, so that our possible roots are
±1/1, ±1/2, ±1/3, ±1/6, ±3/1, and ±3/2. All the others are redundant.