To determine the number of turning points in the function \( g(x) = 3x^3(x-5)^2(5-x)^4 \), we need to analyze the degree of the polynomial.
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Degree of the polynomial: The degree of a polynomial is found by adding the degrees of its factors. Here's the breakdown for the given function:
- \( 3x^3 \) contributes a degree of 3.
- \( (x-5)^2 \) contributes a degree of 2.
- \( (5-x)^4 \) contributes a degree of 4 (since \( (5-x) \) is equivalent to \( -(x-5) \), it contributes the same degree).
Therefore, the total degree of \( g(x) \) is: \[ 3 + 2 + 4 = 9 \]
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Maximum number of turning points: A polynomial of degree \( n \) can have at most \( n - 1 \) turning points. For our polynomial of degree 9, this means: \[ 9 - 1 = 8 \text{ turning points at most.} \]
Thus, the correct answer is: eight at most.