Originally Posted by masters

You have probably learned that a zero of a function f(x) is any value c such that f(c)=0. When the function is graphed, the real zeros of the function are the x-intercepts of the graph.

If is a polynomial function, then

c is a zero of the polynomial function f(x),

x-c is a factor of the polynomial function f(x), and

c is a root or solution of the polynomial equation f(x)=0.