Chapter 1: Problem 81
Use the discriminant to determine the number of real soIutions of the equation. Do not solve the equation. $$x^{2}+2.20 x+1.21=0$$
Short Answer
Expert verified
The equation has exactly one real solution.
Step by step solution
01
Identify quadratic coefficients
The given quadratic equation is \(x^2 + 2.20x + 1.21 = 0\). Here, we need to identify the coefficients: \(a = 1\), \(b = 2.20\), and \(c = 1.21\).
02
Write the formula for the discriminant
The formula for the discriminant of a quadratic equation \(ax^2 + bx + c = 0\) is \(D = b^2 - 4ac\).
03
Substitute the coefficients into the discriminant formula
Substitute \(a = 1\), \(b = 2.20\), and \(c = 1.21\) into the discriminant formula: \[D = (2.20)^2 - 4 \times 1 \times 1.21\].
04
Calculate the discriminant
Calculate the values: \((2.20)^2 = 4.84\) and \(4 \times 1 \times 1.21 = 4.84\). So the discriminant \(D = 4.84 - 4.84 = 0\).
05
Determine the number of real solutions
Since the discriminant \(D = 0\), it indicates that there is exactly one real solution for the quadratic equation. This is because a discriminant of zero implies the presence of one real, repeated solution (or a double root).
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Quadratic Equation
A quadratic equation is a type of polynomial equation that involves a variable raised to the second power. It usually takes the form \( ax^2 + bx + c = 0 \), where:
Quadratic equations can have different types of solutions. These solutions depend on the value of the discriminant, which is a particular value derived from the coefficients \( a \), \( b \), and \( c \).
- \( a \), \( b \), and \( c \) are constants known as coefficients
- \( x \) represents the variable or unknown
- \( a eq 0 \) because if \( a = 0 \), the equation becomes linear, not quadratic
Quadratic equations can have different types of solutions. These solutions depend on the value of the discriminant, which is a particular value derived from the coefficients \( a \), \( b \), and \( c \).
Real Solutions
When we talk about the "real solutions" in a quadratic equation, we refer to the values of \( x \) that are real numbers, as opposed to imaginary or complex numbers. To determine the number of real solutions, we employ the discriminant \( D \), found using the formula:
Understanding the number and type of solutions can provide valuable insights into the nature of the quadratic equation.
- \( D = b^2 - 4ac \)
- If \( D > 0 \), there are two distinct real solutions.
- If \( D = 0 \), there is exactly one real solution, known as a repeated or double root.
- If \( D < 0 \), there are no real solutions; instead, there are two complex solutions.
Understanding the number and type of solutions can provide valuable insights into the nature of the quadratic equation.
Coefficients
Coefficients play a crucial role in the structure and solution of quadratic equations. They are the numbers \( a \), \( b \), and \( c \) in the standard form of the equation \( ax^2 + bx + c = 0 \). Each coefficient has a specific role:
Proper identification and understanding of these coefficients are key to successfully analyzing and solving quadratic equations.
- The coefficient \( a \) is associated with \( x^2 \) and determines the parabola's "width" and "direction" (upward if \( a > 0 \), downward if \( a < 0 \)).
- The coefficient \( b \) is linked with \( x \) and influences the parabola's "position" on the horizontal axis.
- The constant \( c \) represents the parabola's "y-intercept," the point at which it crosses the y-axis.
Proper identification and understanding of these coefficients are key to successfully analyzing and solving quadratic equations.