f(x) is a polynomial, so it's continuous everywhere. If we can find values a and b so that f(a)>0 and f(b)<0, then by the IVT, there will exist some c in (a,b) where f(c)=0; that is, there is a root in the interval [a,b]. Let's start plugging in easy values of x.
f(0)=15, and f(1)=1−15+9−18+15=−8. Since 0 is between f(0) and f(1), and since f is continuous, by IVT there must be some x in [0,1] for which f(x)=0: that is, there is some root in [0,1].
That was the easiest interval to find. If you keep playing around, you find two more. f(−1)=26 (positive) and f(−2)=−1001 (negative), so there is a root in [−2,−1].
The arithmetic is nasty, but there is also a root in [14,15].
This is an important trick. For high-degree polynomials, it is often impossible to get the exact values of the roots. Using the IVT, we can at least give a range where a root must be.