The p/q method is a technique used to find roots of quartic and higher-order polynomials. It involves substituting variables to simplify the equation, as demonstrated with the example of x^4 + x^2 = 0, which can be transformed into a quadratic form. While the quartic equation can be solved analytically, it is noted that no general solution exists for polynomials of degree five or higher using basic arithmetic operations and roots. The p/q method is effective for quartics, guaranteeing four exact roots. This method's reliability contrasts with the limitations faced in solving higher-degree polynomials.