Rogelio is asked to sketch a graph of g(x)=3x3(x−5)2(5−x)4

. How many turning points should his sketch include?(1 point)
Responses

exactly eight
exactly eight

three at most
three at most

eight at most
eight at most

nine at most

1 answer

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.

  1. 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: \[ 3 + 2 + 4 = 9 \]

  2. 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.