Chapter 7: Problem 10
solve the given quadratic equations, using the quadratic formula. Exercises \(5-8\) are the same as Exercises \(11-14\) of Section 7.2. $$x^{2}+10 x-4=0$$
Short Answer
Expert verified
The solutions are \(x = -5 + \sqrt{29}\) and \(x = -5 - \sqrt{29}\).
Step by step solution
01
Identify Coefficients
The given quadratic equation is in the form \(ax^2 + bx + c = 0\). Here, \(a = 1\), \(b = 10\), and \(c = -4\).
02
Write the Quadratic Formula
The quadratic formula to solve equations of the form \(ax^2 + bx + c = 0\) is \(x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a}\).
03
Calculate the Discriminant
The discriminant is the part under the square root in the quadratic formula: \(b^2 - 4ac\). Calculate it as \(10^2 - 4 \times 1 \times (-4) = 100 + 16 = 116\).
04
Substitute Values into the Formula
Substitute \(a = 1\), \(b = 10\), and \(c = -4\) into the quadratic formula: \(x = \frac{-10 \pm \sqrt{116}}{2 \times 1}\).
05
Simplify the Expression
First, simplify \(\sqrt{116}\). Since \(116 = 4 \times 29\), \(\sqrt{116} = \sqrt{4 \times 29} = 2\sqrt{29}\). Then the expression becomes \(x = \frac{-10 \pm 2\sqrt{29}}{2}\).
06
Solve for x
Separate the expression into two terms: \(x = \frac{-10 + 2\sqrt{29}}{2}\) and \(x = \frac{-10 - 2\sqrt{29}}{2}\). These simplify to \(x = -5 + \sqrt{29}\) and \(x = -5 - \sqrt{29}\).
07
Conclude with Solutions
The solutions to the equation \(x^2 + 10x - 4 = 0\) are \(x = -5 + \sqrt{29}\) and \(x = -5 - \sqrt{29}\).
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Quadratic Equations
Quadratic equations are a type of polynomial equation that are characterized by their highest degree, which is two. They are generally written in the standard form as \(ax^2 + bx + c = 0\). Here, \(a\), \(b\), and \(c\) are constants, where \(a\) cannot be zero because that would make it a linear equation, not quadratic.
Understanding these key components is essential, as they define the shape of the parabola when graphed:
Understanding these key components is essential, as they define the shape of the parabola when graphed:
- The term \(ax^2\) determines the direction the parabola opens, upwards if \(a > 0\) and downwards if \(a < 0\).
- The linear term \(bx\) influences the tilt and horizontal shift of the parabola.
- The constant \(c\) affects the vertical position of the graph.
Discriminant
The discriminant is a part of the quadratic formula that provides valuable insights about the nature of the roots of a quadratic equation. It is represented by \(b^2 - 4ac\).
Here's how the discriminant affects the solutions:
Here's how the discriminant affects the solutions:
- If \(b^2 - 4ac > 0\), the quadratic equation has two distinct real roots. This means the parabola intersects the x-axis at two different points.
- If \(b^2 - 4ac = 0\), there is exactly one real root, indicating the vertex of the parabola touches the x-axis.
- If \(b^2 - 4ac < 0\), the equation has no real roots, implying the parabola does not intersect the x-axis at all.
Solving Quadratics
Solving quadratic equations using the quadratic formula involves substituting the constants \(a\), \(b\), and \(c\) into the expression \(x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a}\). This method is particularly useful because it works for all types of quadratic equations, regardless of whether the solutions are real or complex.
Let's break this process down:
Let's break this process down:
- Substitute: Insert the values of \(a\), \(b\), and \(c\) from the equation into the formula.
- Calculate: Use the discriminant to determine the nature of the roots, then compute inside the square root.
- Simplify: Solve for \(x\) by performing basic arithmetic and algebraic operations, considering both the plus and minus parts of the \(\pm\) symbol.