The solution using the quadratic formula: simplifies to We only need to require that the larger solution, the one with the plus sign before the square root, be negative, so The discriminant must be positive to prevent getting 1 single or 2 imaginary solutions, so setting the discriminant greater than 0, That has solutions k < -4 or k > 4. If k > 4 then certainly the larger solution will be positive. So we must take k < -4 Multiplying both sides by 2 Therefore to have both solutions negative, Edwin