Chapter 1: Problem 66
Find all real solutions of the quadratic equation. $$x^{2}+30 x+200=0$$
Short Answer
Expert verified
The real solutions are \(x = -10\) and \(x = -20\).
Step by step solution
01
Identify coefficients
In the quadratic equation given by \(x^2 + 30x + 200 = 0\), identify the coefficients. Here, \(a = 1\), \(b = 30\), and \(c = 200\).
02
Calculate the discriminant
The discriminant \(\Delta\) is calculated as \(b^2 - 4ac\). Substitute the values: \(\Delta = 30^2 - 4 \times 1 \times 200 = 900 - 800 = 100\).
03
Determine the nature of the roots
Since the discriminant \(\Delta = 100\) is greater than zero, it means the quadratic equation has two distinct real roots.
04
Apply the quadratic formula
The quadratic formula is \(x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{\Delta}}{2a}\). Substitute \(b = 30\), \(\Delta = 100\), and \(a = 1\) into the formula: \(x = \frac{-30 \pm \sqrt{100}}{2}\).
05
Simplify to find the solutions
Solve for \(x\):\(x = \frac{-30 + 10}{2} = \frac{-20}{2} = -10\) and \(x = \frac{-30 - 10}{2} = \frac{-40}{2} = -20\).Therefore, the solutions are \(x = -10\) and \(x = -20\).
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Discriminant
In any quadratic equation, the discriminant is a crucial component. It helps to determine the nature of the roots. The discriminant is denoted by \( \Delta \), and in a quadratic equation like \( ax^2 + bx + c = 0 \), it is calculated as \( b^2 - 4ac \). This simple formula tells us a lot about the equation's roots.
- If \( \Delta > 0 \), there are two distinct real roots. This is because the square root of a positive number is real, providing two different solutions when added and subtracted.
- If \( \Delta = 0 \), there is one real root, also known as a repeated or double root. This happens when the parabola touches the x-axis at one point.
- If \( \Delta < 0 \), there are no real roots, only complex or imaginary roots, since the square root of a negative number involves imaginary numbers.
Quadratic Formula
The quadratic formula is a tool we use to find solutions of any quadratic equation. It allows us to compute the roots directly, using the equation's coefficients without needing to factorize. The formula is:\[x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a}\]Here’s how it applies to our example:
- Given \( a = 1 \), \( b = 30 \), and \( c = 200 \), the discriminant \( \Delta \) is calculated as \( 100 \).
- We plug these into the formula: \( x = \frac{-30 \pm \sqrt{100}}{2} \).
- This leads to two potential solutions due to the \( \pm \) (plus-minus) operator, which accounts for both roots.
Roots of Quadratics
Finding the roots of quadratic equations means solving them for their \( x \)-values where the equation equals zero. These roots are essentially the x-intercepts where the graph of the equation touches or crosses the x-axis. For most quadratics, there are two roots, but they can be real, repeated, or complex based on the discriminant.
The specific process is as follows:
The specific process is as follows:
- Calculate the discriminant \( \Delta \).
- Use the quadratic formula \( x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{\Delta}}{2a} \) to find the roots.
- In our example, we find \( x = \frac{-30 + 10}{2} = -10 \) and \( x = \frac{-30 - 10}{2} = -20 \).