Name: ________________________ Class: ___________________ Date: __________ ID: A

AP Precalculus - Unit 1A Study Guide: Polynomial Functions

/ 70 pts 14 MCQs (2 pts for each correct answer, up to 3 pts for valid justification)

The next two questions refer to the graph of f , which is shown in the figure below.

____ 1. Between which two points is the graph of f increasing and concave down?

A) A & B B) B & C C) C & D D) None of these

____ 2. At which point is the instantaneous rate of change greatest?

A) A B) B C) C D) D

____ 3. The function g x   ax 3  bx 2  c , where a , b , & c are all real numbers and b  a  0  c .
Which of the following describes the end behavior of g ?

A) lim g x    and lim g x   

x   x

B) lim g x    and lim g x   

x   x

C) lim g x    and lim g x   

x   x

D) lim g x    and lim g x   

x   x

1
Name: ________________________ ID: A

____ 4. The figure above shows the graph of a function h . Between which two points is the average rate of change
the greatest?

A) A & C B) B & C C) B & D D) C & D

   
____ 5. A function p(x) is increasing on the interval  a, b  . If p x   0 on  a, b  , as input values ,
the output values .

A) increase...increase
B) increase...decrease
C) decrease...increase
D) increase...get larger in magnitude

x 0 2 4 6
f x  ??? 3 11 27

____ 6. The table above shows values for a function f at selected values of x . If f is known to be quadratic, what
is the value for f 0 ?

A) –5 B) –1 C) 1 D) 3

2
Name: ________________________ ID: A

2
____ 7. The polynomial function n is given by n x    x  2  x  1  . Which of the following could be the graph
of n ?

A) C)

B) D)

2 
____ 8. The polynomial h is given by h x   x  1  x  3   x 2  5  . Which of the following describes the zeros
 
of h ?

A) h has exactly three distinct real zeros.

B) h has exactly five distinct real zeros.
C) h has exactly three distinct real zeros and two non-real zeros.
D) h has exactly two distinct real zeros and two non-real zeros.

____ 9. Let f x   x 2  3x  1 and g x   x  2 . On which of the following intervals is g x   f x  ?

  
A)  1, 3  C)  , 1 
 
  3 
B)  2,   D)  2 ,  
 

____ 10. A polynomial function r is defined for all real numbers. The function has 2 relative maxima, and two
relative minima. The function has neither an absolute maximum nor an absolute minimum. Which of the
following statements must be true about r ?

A) r is at least degree 3. C) r is at least degree 5.

B) r is at least degree 4. D) r is at least degree 7.

3
Name: ________________________ ID: A

____ 11. A polynomial function f of degree n has zeros at x = 2 , x = –5 , and x = 3i . If f x   0 for all real
values of x , what is the minimum value of n ?

A) 3 B) 4 C) 5 D) 6

k x   a  x n  2x  6

____ 12. The function k is given above. For which values of a and n would k have the following characteristics?

lim k x    and lim k x   

x   x

A) a = 1 B) a = 1 C) a = –1 D) a = –1
n=3 n=4 n=3 n=4

The following questions are CALCULATOR ACTIVE! You must still provide valid justification for full credit.

____ 13. The function f is given by f x   0.31x 3  4.71x 2  8.64x  5.27 . Which of the following values is an
absolute extremum for the graph of f on the closed interval 18  x  4 ?

A) –247.073 B) –10.975 C) 9.021 D) –55.370

 
____ 14. Find the average rate of change of g x   2x 4  65x 2  34x  82 on the interval  6, 5  .

A) –253
B) –24.6
C) –23
D) –21.667

4
Name: ________________________ ID: A

The following FRQ is NON-CALCULATOR!

x –3 –1 1 3
g(x) 0 b c 12

15. A portion of the function f is shown in the graph above. Selected values of the function g are given in the
table above, where b and c are integers. Answer the following questions regarding these functions.

(a) The function f is modeled by a polynomial of degree n with leading coefficient a.

(i) Draw a conclusion about the numerical value of n. Give a reason for your answer.
/ 4 pts

(ii) Draw a conclusion about the sign of a. Give a reason for your answer.
/ 2 pts

 
(b) While not shown on the graph above, it is known that x  13  2 is a zero for f and  x 2  4  is a
 
factor of f. With this new information, determine the minimum value for n. Give a reason for your
answer.
/ 2 pts

(c) Calculate the average rate of change of g on the interval 3  x  3.

/ 2 pts

(d) If g is a linear function, determine the value of b.

/ 3 pts

(e) If g is a concave up quadratic function, fill in the circle with either > or < as appropriate.
Justify your answer in terms of input and output values and rates of change.
/ 4 pts
12  c b

5
Name: ________________________ ID: A

The following FRQ is CALCULATOR ACTIVE!


 3
k x    x  2   3 x1


 2x x1

16. The function h is shown in the graph above. The function k is given by the formula above. Answer the
following questions about these two functions.

(a) On the interval 8  x  4 , h is linear. Estimate one value of x where the instantaneous rate of
change of h is equal to the average rate of change of this linear portion.
/ 2 pts

(b) Give a value for h 4 if h has each of the following characteristics.

(i) h is even.
/ 1 pt

(ii) h is odd.
/ 1 pt

(iii) h is neither even nor odd.

/ 1 pt

(c) Determine the interval(s) on which k x  is increasing. Justify your answer in terms of input and
output values.
/ 2 pts

(d) Identify the interval, if any, of k where the rate of change is increasing.
/ 2 pts

(e) Let b be a positive constant such that b > 1 . Write an expression in terms of b for the average rate
of change of k on the interval 1  x  b .
/ 4 pts