Ray and kelsey are working to graph a third-degree polynomial function that represents the first pattern in the coaster plan. ray says the third-degree polynomial has 4 intercepts. kelsey argues the function can have as many as 3 zeros only. is there a way for the both of them to be correct? explain your answer.

Both Ray and Kelsey are correct.

Step-by-step explanation:

Ray is right because there can be 3 x-intercepts and 1 y-intercept, adding up to 4 total. Kelsey is also right because a function can only have a max of 3 zeros.

1 number

if we use a graphing calculator, there is only one such number that satisfies the conclusion of the mean value theorem, that is, a number such that

where the right-hand side is the average rate of change of f on the interval [0.5,0.75], which is the slope of the secant line.

in the attached graph, the black line is the secant line which has its slope as the average rate of change of f on [0.5,0.75], while the orange line is the only tangent line to the graph of f in the interval that satisfies the mvt conclusion.