Chapter 1: Problem 28
Solve. Some of your answers may involve \(i\). \(x^{2}+4 x=3\)
Short Answer
Expert verified
The solutions are \(-2 + \sqrt{7}\) and \(-2 - \sqrt{7}\).
Step by step solution
01
- Move all terms to one side
Start by moving all terms to one side of the equation to set it equal to zero: \ \[ x^{2} + 4x - 3 = 0 \]
02
- Identify coefficients
Identify the coefficients in the quadratic equation of the form \(ax^2 + bx + c = 0\): \ \[ a = 1, \ b = 4, \ c = -3 \]
03
- Use the quadratic formula
Use the quadratic formula to solve for \(x\): \ \[ x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a} \] \ Substitute the coefficients: \ \[ x = \frac{-4 \pm \sqrt{4^2 - 4(1)(-3)}}{2(1)} \]
04
- Simplify under the square root
Simplify the expression under the square root: \ \[ x = \frac{-4 \pm \sqrt{16 + 12}}{2} \ = \frac{-4 \pm \sqrt{28}}{2} \] \Since \sqrt{28} = 2\sqrt{7}, this further simplifies to: \ \[ x = \frac{-4 \pm 2\sqrt{7}}{2} \]
05
- Divide by 2
Divide each term in the numerator by 2: \ \[ x = -2 \pm \sqrt{7} \]
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
solving quadratic equations
A quadratic equation is any equation that can be written in the form: det with 3 terms: the square term, the linear term, and the constant. Here's what each term looks like in an equation: \[ ax^2 + bx + c = 0 \] where:
- \(a\): the coefficient of the square term \(x^2\)
- \(b\): the coefficient of the linear term \(x\)
- \(c\): the constant.
quadratic formula
One of the most powerful tools for solving quadratic equations is the quadratic formula. The quadratic formula is: \[ x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a} \] This formula allows you to solve any quadratic equation, provided you identify the coefficients \(a\), \(b\), and \(c\) from the equation. Let’s use our example: \[ x^2 + 4x - 3 = 0 \] Here, \(a = 1\), \(b = 4\), and \(c = -3\). Plugging these values into the formula gives: \[ x = \frac{-4 \pm \sqrt{4^2 - 4(1)(-3)}}{2(1)} \] Simplifying inside the square root: \[ x = \frac{-4 \pm \sqrt{16 + 12}}{2} = \frac{-4 \pm \sqrt{28}}{2} \].
complex numbers
When solving quadratic equations, you might encounter a situation where the term under the square root becomes negative. This is where complex numbers come into play. The imaginary unit \(i\) is defined as \(i = \sqrt{-1}\). If we ever have to take the square root of a negative number, it helps to rewrite it using \(i\). For example, if you encounter \(\sqrt{-4}\), you can simplify it to \(2i\).In our given problem, we did not encounter a negative under the square root, but this concept is important to understand for more challenging problems.
simplifying square roots
Simplifying the square root is often a crucial step in solving quadratic equations. Let’s go back to the expression: \[ \frac{-4 \pm \sqrt{28}}{2} \] First, note that \(\sqrt{28}\) can be broken down further: \[ \sqrt{28} = \sqrt{4 \times 7} = \sqrt{4} \times \sqrt{7} = 2\sqrt{7} \] So the equation changes to: \[ \frac{-4 \pm 2\sqrt{7}}{2} \] Next, divide each term in the numerator by 2: \[ x = -2 \pm \sqrt{7} \] Now, the solutions to the quadratic equation are: \[ x = -2 + \sqrt{7} \quad \text{and} \quad x = -2 - \sqrt{7} \].