Chapter 5: Problem 38
Solve each equation, and check the solutions. $$ 6 r^{2}-r-2=0 $$
Short Answer
Expert verified
\(r = \frac{2}{3}\) and \(r = -\frac{1}{2}\)
Step by step solution
01
- Identify the Standard Form
The given equation is already in the standard quadratic form: \[6r^2 - r - 2 = 0\]
02
- Apply the Quadratic Formula
For the quadratic equation \[ax^2 + bx + c = 0\], use the quadratic formula: \[r = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a}\]Here, \(a = 6\), \(b = -1\), and \(c = -2\).
03
- Calculate the Discriminant
Calculate the discriminant \(\Delta = b^2 - 4ac\):\[\Delta = (-1)^2 - 4(6)(-2) = 1 + 48 = 49\]
04
- Find the Roots Using the Discriminant
Substitute \(\Delta\) back into the quadratic formula: \[r = \frac{-(-1) \pm \sqrt{49}}{2 \times 6} = \frac{1 \pm 7}{12}\]This results in two solutions: \[r = \frac{1 + 7}{12} = \frac{8}{12} = \frac{2}{3}\]\[r = \frac{1 - 7}{12} = \frac{-6}{12} = -\frac{1}{2}\]
05
- Check the Solutions
Substitute \(r = \frac{2}{3}\) and \(r = -\frac{1}{2}\) back into the original equation to verify:For \(r = \frac{2}{3}\):\[6 \left(\frac{2}{3}\right)^2 - \left(\frac{2}{3}\right) - 2 = 6 \left(\frac{4}{9}\right) - \frac{2}{3} - 2 = \frac{24}{9} - \frac{2}{3} - 2 = \frac{8}{3} - \frac{2}{3} - 2 = \frac{6}{3} - 2 = 0\]For \(r = -\frac{1}{2}\):\[6 \left(-\frac{1}{2}\right)^2 - \left(-\frac{1}{2}\right) - 2 = 6 \left(\frac{1}{4}\right) + \frac{1}{2} - 2 = \frac{6}{4} + \frac{1}{2} - 2 = \frac{3}{2} + \frac{1}{2} - 2 = 2 - 2 = 0\]Both solutions satisfy the original equation.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Quadratic Formula
The quadratic formula is a powerful tool for solving quadratic equations. A quadratic equation is an equation in the form ewline ax^2 + bx + c = 0, where a, b, and c are constants, and x is the variable. To solve for x, we use the quadratic formula: ewline \[ x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a} \] ewline ewline Simply plug in the values of a, b, and c from your equation into this formula. You’ll get two solutions which are the values of x that satisfy the equation. This is because of the \pm symbol, indicating there will be two values: one for the plus and one for the minus.
Discriminant
The discriminant is part of the quadratic formula, specifically the term under the square root: ewline \[ \Delta = b^2 - 4ac \] ewline ewline The discriminant tells us a lot about the nature of the roots of the quadratic equation: ewline
- If \Delta > 0, there are two distinct real roots.
- If \Delta = 0, there is exactly one real root (the roots are repeated).
- If \Delta < 0, there are no real roots (the solutions are complex).
Standard Quadratic Form
The standard quadratic form is how we usually express quadratic equations: ewline \[ ax^2 + bx + c = 0 \] ewline Notice each part where:
- a is the coefficient of the quadratic term ( x^2 ).
- b is the coefficient of the linear term (x).
- c is the constant term.