Question

A polynomial has zeros of –1, 7, –1, and 10.

What is the minimum degree of the polynomial?

Answer 1

4

Explanation:

The minimum degree is the number of zeros* it has: 4.

_____

* The zeros given here are all real. If there were complex zeros, they, too, would be counted toward the minimum degree. If the polynomial is to have real coefficients (the usual case), then the complex zeros must be in conjugate pairs.