4) Find the integers that are upper and lower bounds for the real xeros of the polynomial. (25 points) \( P(x)=2 x^{3}+5 x^{2}-8 x-7 \)
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Extra Insights
To find the upper and lower bounds for the real zeros of the polynomial \( P(x) = 2x^3 + 5x^2 - 8x - 7 \), you can use the Upper Bound Theorem and the Lower Bound Theorem. By applying synthetic division and examining the signs of the resulting coefficients, a value can be identified as an upper bound when dividing \( P(x) \) by \( x - c \) (where \( c \) is a positive number). Similarly, for the lower bound, you could use a negative divisor and look for alternating signs. For a bit of trial and error, after testing various integers, we find that \( x = -4 \) works as a lower bound (all positive coefficients) and \( x = 4 \) as an upper bound (coefficients remain non-negative). It’s always a good practice to test a few numbers to ensure you arrive at the correct bounds, and synthetic division is a trusty adventure in this realm!