Question:

Observe the graph of polynomial p(x). Number of zeroes of p(x) is

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Do not count the intersection with the vertical \(y\)-axis.
Only the points on the horizontal \(x\)-axis represent values of \(x\) where the polynomial evaluates to zero, i.e., \(p(x) = 0\).
Updated On: Jul 9, 2026
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The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The topic of this question is Polynomials, specifically focusing on the graphical representation of their zeroes.
The zeroes of a polynomial \(p(x)\) are the values of \(x\) for which \(p(x) = 0\).
On a Cartesian coordinate grid, these correspond to the \(x\)-coordinates of the points where the graph of the equation \(y = p(x)\) intersects or touches the horizontal \(x\)-axis.
We are asked to find the number of zeroes of \(p(x)\) by observing the provided graph.

Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
To find the number of zeroes of \(p(x)\) from its graph:
- Trace the curve and identify all points where it crosses or touches the horizontal \(x\)-axis.
- The total count of these distinct intersection points equals the number of real zeroes.
- Intersections with the vertical \(y\)-axis are not counted as zeroes of \(p(x)\).

Step 3: Detailed Explanation:

• Trace the given curve \(y = p(x)\) from left to right along the horizontal axis:

• Point 1: The curve crosses the negative \(x\)-axis at one point on the left side of the origin. This is the first zero.

• Point 2: The curve crosses the \(x\)-axis at the origin \(O(0, 0)\). This is the second zero.

• Point 3: The curve goes below the \(x\)-axis, turns upwards, and crosses the positive \(x\)-axis at another point. This is the third zero.

• Count the total number of intersection points with the \(x\)-axis:
The curve intersects the horizontal \(x\)-axis at exactly 3 distinct points.
Therefore, the polynomial has exactly 3 real zeroes.


Step 4: Final Answer:
The number of zeroes of the polynomial \(p(x)\) is 3.
Therefore, the correct option is (D).
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