Chapter 0: Problem 98
Solve the quadratic equation by the method of your choice. $$2 x^{2}+3 x=1$$
Short Answer
Expert verified
The solutions to the quadratic equation \(2x^{2}+3x-1=0\) are \(x=(-3+√17)/4\) and \(x=(-3-√17)/4\).
Step by step solution
01
Write the quadratic equation in standard form
First, write the given equation in standard form ax²+bx+c=0. \n So, the equation 2x²+3x-1=0 in standard form is 2x²+3x-1=0.
02
Identify the coefficients.
In the equation 2x²+3x-1=0, identify the values of a, b, and c. For this equation, a = 2, b = 3 and c = -1.
03
Substitute the values into the quadratic formula and simplify.
Substitute the values a, b, and c into the quadratic formula \(-b±√(b²-4ac)/2a\). Then simplify the formula.\n Substituting the values gives: \(x= -b±√((3)²-4*2(-1))/(2*2)\).\nThis simplifies to: \(x= -3±√(9+8)/4\), and further simplifies to \(x= -3±√17/4\).
04
Calculate the roots of the equation.
Find the two potential solutions, the roots, based on the equation \(x= -3±√17/4)\). This equation gives two solutions for x: \(x1=(-3+√17)/4\) and \(x2=(-3-√17)/4\).
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Quadratic Formula
When faced with a quadratic equation like the one in our problem, the quadratic formula is one of the most reliable methods to find its roots. The quadratic formula is given by \(x = \frac{{-b \pm \sqrt{{b^2 - 4ac}}}}{2a}\). Here, \(a\), \(b\), and \(c\) are the coefficients of the terms in a quadratic equation in its standard form.
- The quadratic formula allows you to find the solutions for any quadratic equation regardless of whether it can be factored easily or not.
- "\(\pm\)" means there will be two solutions, sometimes called the roots of the equation.
Standard Form of a Quadratic Equation
The equation \(2x^2 + 3x = 1\) must first be transformed into its standard form. A quadratic equation's standard form is \(ax^2 + bx + c = 0\).
- "\(a\)", "\(b\)", and "\(c\)" are the coefficients where \(a\) is the coefficient for \(x^2\), \(b\) for \(x\), and \(c\) is the constant term.
- "\(0\)" explicitly shows that the equation is set to equal zero to facilitate solving.
Solving Quadratic Equations
Solving a quadratic equation often involves rearrangement or direct application of methods like the quadratic formula. Here’s a simplified breakdown:
- Step 1: Check that the equation is in standard form.
- Step 2: Identify the values for \(a\), \(b\), and \(c\).
- Step 3: Substitute these values into relevant formulas, like the quadratic formula.
- Step 4: Simplify the formula to find potential solutions, known as the roots.
Discriminant in Quadratics
The discriminant is a critical part of the quadratic formula, found under the square root symbol: \(b^2 - 4ac\). It provides key insights into the nature of the solutions:
- If the discriminant \(b^2 - 4ac\) is greater than 0, there are two distinct real roots.
- If it equals 0, there is exactly one real root, indicating the roots are identical.
- If less than 0, the roots are complex and no real number solutions exist.