Answer: C) Sometimes positive; sometimes negative
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Step-by-step explanation:
Pick a value between x = -1 and x = 0. Let's say we go for x = -0.5
Plug this into f(x)
f(x) = x(x+3)(x+1)(x-4)
f(-0.5) = -0.5(-0.5+3)(-0.5+1)(-0.5-4)
f(-0.5) = -0.5(2.5)(0.5)(-4.5)
f(-0.5) = 2.8125
We get a positive value.
This shows that f(x) is positive on the region of -1 < x < 0
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Now pick a value between x = 0 and x = 4. I'll use x = 1
f(x) = x(x+3)(x+1)(x-4)
f(1) = 1(1+3)(1+1)(1-4)
f(1) = 1(4)(2)(-3)
f(1) = -24
Therefore, f(x) is negative on the interval 0 < x < 4
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In short, f(x) is both positive and negative on the interval -1 < x < 4
It's positive when -1 < x < 0
And it's negative when 0 < x < 4