To find the x-coordinates of the points where y = 5x -1 intersects y = 2x3 + x2 + 1,
set the equations equal to each other: 5x - 1 = 2x3 + x2 + 1,
and solve: 0 = 2x3 + x2 - 5x + 2.
If there are rational solutions to this equation, they come from the set: { +2, -2, +1, -1, + 1/2, -1/2 }.
If x = 2: 2(2)3 + (2)2 - 5(2) + 2 = 12 ---> 2 is not a root.
If x = -2: 2(-2)3 + (-2)2 - 5(-2) + 2 = 0 ---> -2 is a root
If x = 1: 2(1)3 + (1)2 - 5(1) + 2 = 0 ---> 1 is a root
If x = -1: 2(-1)3 + (-1)2 - 5(-1) + 2 = 6 ---> -1 is a not a root
If x = 1/2: 2(1/2)3 + (1/2)2 - 5(1/2) + 2 = 0 ---> 1/2 is a root
If x = -1/2: 2(-1/2)3 + (-1/2)2 - 5(-1/2) + 2 = 4.5 ---> -1/2 is not a root
The x-coordinates of the points of intersection are: -2, 1/2, and 1.
[If not all of these worked, then there still could have been irrational roots.]