Rational Zero Test

[nycmathguy]

Section 2.5

What exactly is the Rational Zero Test?

 

[MathLover1]

The Rational Roots (or Rational Zeroes) Test is a handy way of obtaining a list of useful first guesses when you are trying to find the zeroes (roots) of a polynomial.
The Rational Roots Test does not give you the zeroes. It does not say what the zeroes definitely will be. The Test only gives you a list of relatively easy and "nice" numbers to try in the polynomial. Most of these possible zeroes will turn out not actually to be zeroes!

 

[nycmathguy]

The Rational Roots (or Rational Zeroes) Test is a handy way of obtaining a list of useful first guesses when you are trying to find the zeroes (roots) of a polynomial.
The Rational Roots Test does not give you the zeroes. It does not say what the zeroes definitely will be. The Test only gives you a list of relatively easy and "nice" numbers to try in the polynomial. Most of these possible zeroes will turn out not actually to be zeroes!

From what you said it appears that the Rational Roots Test is tedious. If so, then one question should be enough.