All equations are composed of polynomials. If you know how to solve equations containing polynomials of the first degree, then you can solve equations of higher degree. One way to solve a polynomial equation is to use the zero-product property. The property of zero tells us that the product of any real number and zero is zero. This means that for any real numbers x and y if x=0 or y=0, then xy=0 The zero-power property can be used to solve an equation when one side of the equation is a product of polynomial factors and the other side is zero. The solutions to a polynomial equation are called roots.