Your Social Security number (SSN) is unique, and with it you can construct your own personal Social Security polynomial. Let the polynomial function be defined as follows, where ai represents the ith digit in your SSN:

For example, if the SSN is 539-58-0954, the polynomial function is SSN(x) = (x - 5)(x + 3)(x - 9)(x + 5)(x - 8)(x + 0)(x - 9)(x + 5)(x - 4).

A comprehensive graph of this function is shown in Figure A. In Figure B, we show a screen obtained by zooming in on the positive zeros, as the comprehensive graph does not show the local behavior well in this region. Use a graphing calculator to graph your own “personal polynomial.”

Figure A

Figure B