Question 170775This question is from textbook
: What type of solution do you get for quadratic equations where D<0?
Give reasons for your answer.
Also provide an example of such a quadratic equation and find the solution of the equation.
I have tried three times and still I am wrong, please help.
This question is from textbook
Answer by jim_thompson5910(35256) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! If , then the quadratic will have two complex (ie non real) solutions.
Why? Recall that the quadratic formula is
The discriminant D is everything in the square root. So this means that
Now if , this means that "D" is negative. Remember you CANNOT take the square root of a negative number. This is why you will NOT get any real solutions if
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For example, let's find the discriminant for
From we can see that , , and
Start with the discriminant formula
Plug in , , and
Square to get
Multiply to get
Subtract from to get
Since the discriminant is less than zero, this means that there are two complex solutions
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Now let's use the quadratic formula to find the solutions of
Start with the quadratic formula
Plug in , , and
Square to get .
Multiply to get
Subtract from to get
Multiply and to get .
Simplify to get . Note:
or Break up the expression.
or Break up the fraction for each case.
or Reduce.
So our answers are or
Since our answers are complex (ie not real), this verifies our original claim.
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