standard_description: Know and apply the Remainder Theorem: For a polynomial p(x) and a number a, the remainder on division by x – a is p(a), so p(a) = 0 if and only if (x – a) is a factor of p(x).
problem_activity: Task
Suppose $f$ is a quadratic function given by the equation $f(x) = ax^2 + bx + c$
where $a,b,c$ are real numbers and $a$ is non-zero.
Explain why $f$ can have at most two roots; that is explain why there can be at most two distinct real numbers $r_1,r_2$ so that $f(r_1) = f(r_2) = 0$.
Give examples to show that it is possible for $f$ to have zero, one, or two
real roots.


aligns: yes