Problem

Find the zeros of the polynomial function, and state the multiplicity of each.
f(x)=(x+5)4(x4)

The zeros are 5,4.
(Use a comma to separate answers.)
The smaller zero has multiplicity

Answer

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Answer

Therefore, the final answer is x=5,4 with multiplicities 4,1 respectively

Steps

Step 1 :Set the function f(x)=(x+5)4(x4) equal to zero: 0=(x+5)4(x4)

Step 2 :This equation will be true if either (x+5)4=0 or (x4)=0

Step 3 :Solving for x in each case:

Step 4 :For (x+5)4=0, taking the fourth root of both sides, we get x+5=0, so x=5

Step 5 :For (x4)=0, we get x=4

Step 6 :Therefore, the zeros of the function are x=5 and x=4

Step 7 :The multiplicity of a zero is the number of times it appears as a root, which is given by the exponent of the factor in the polynomial

Step 8 :In this case, the factor (x+5) has an exponent of 4, so the zero x=5 has a multiplicity of 4

Step 9 :The factor (x4) has an exponent of 1 (since no exponent is shown, it is understood to be 1), so the zero x=4 has a multiplicity of 1

Step 10 :So, the zero -5 has a multiplicity of 4 and the zero 4 has a multiplicity of 1

Step 11 :Therefore, the final answer is x=5,4 with multiplicities 4,1 respectively

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