[Math] Reciprocal Polynomial

polynomials

I am studying the chapter of my book about transforming polynomials but I don't understand how the reciprocal polynomial is found.

This is an excerpt from my book :

Let the given polynomial be $f(x)$ and the roots be $r_1,r_2,r_3,$ and
$r_4$. One equation whose solutions are the reciprocals of these is
just $f(1/x)=0$ because $f \left(\cfrac{1}{1/r_i}\right)=f(r_i)=0 $.

While it's okay why the function $f(1/x)$ should have the reciprocals of the roots of $f(x)$ ,I don't understand the explanation of this given by $f\left(\cfrac{1}{1/r_i}\right)=f(r_i)=0 $.

Can someone make it clear please ?

Best Answer

What they mean is that the new function is called $F$. Such that:

$$ F(x) = f(\frac{1}{x})$$

Now

$$ F\left(\frac{1}{r_i}\right) = f\left(\frac{1}{1/r_i}\right) = f(r_i) = 0 $$