SOLUTION: Determine the values or the values of the variable where the expression is defined. (x – 4) / (x^2 – x – 12)

Algebra ->  Polynomials-and-rational-expressions -> SOLUTION: Determine the values or the values of the variable where the expression is defined. (x – 4) / (x^2 – x – 12)      Log On


   

Question 211004: Determine the values or the values of the variable where the expression is defined.
(x – 4) / (x^2 – x – 12)
Answer by ichudov(507) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
It is not defined where the denominator is zero.
So you need to find where the denominator is zеро
Solved by pluggable solver: SOLVE quadratic equation with variable
Quadratic equation ax%5E2%2Bbx%2Bc=0 (in our case 1x%5E2%2B-1x%2B-12+=+0) has the following solutons:

x%5B12%5D+=+%28b%2B-sqrt%28+b%5E2-4ac+%29%29%2F2%5Ca

For these solutions to exist, the discriminant b%5E2-4ac should not be a negative number.

First, we need to compute the discriminant b%5E2-4ac: b%5E2-4ac=%28-1%29%5E2-4%2A1%2A-12=49.

Discriminant d=49 is greater than zero. That means that there are two solutions: +x%5B12%5D+=+%28--1%2B-sqrt%28+49+%29%29%2F2%5Ca.

x%5B1%5D+=+%28-%28-1%29%2Bsqrt%28+49+%29%29%2F2%5C1+=+4
x%5B2%5D+=+%28-%28-1%29-sqrt%28+49+%29%29%2F2%5C1+=+-3

Quadratic expression 1x%5E2%2B-1x%2B-12 can be factored:
1x%5E2%2B-1x%2B-12+=+1%28x-4%29%2A%28x--3%29
Again, the answer is: 4, -3. Here's your graph:
graph%28+500%2C+500%2C+-10%2C+10%2C+-20%2C+20%2C+1%2Ax%5E2%2B-1%2Ax%2B-12+%29