The Student Room Group

Maths question help

I have completed question I) and Ii) but need help with Iiii)image.jpeg
Reply 1
Show that the quadratic factor never equals 0 by considering it's discrimant. Compute the discriminant, what does the value of the discriminant tell you about the number of real and/orimaginary roots.

f(x) = 0 iff x -1 = 0 or x^2 + px + q = 0
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 2
Original post by Zacken
Show that the quadratic factor never equals 0 by considering it's discrimant. Compute the discriminant, what does the value of the discriminant tell you about the number of real and/orimaginary roots.


To show that this has one real root b^2-4ac=0
However in this it is a number greater than zero
Reply 3
Original post by uchihaitachi0023
okay f(x)=x^3+4x-5
is f(x)=0
then x^3 + 4x - 5 = 0
which means
(x-1)(ur answer for ii)=0
if you do the discriminant of the quadratic (answer for ii) you should find that b^2-4ac < 0
and this means the quadratic (answer for ii) has no real roots/solutions
so the only root is x=1


Full solutions are against the maths forum guidelines.
Reply 4
Original post by Bence9912
I have completed question I) and Ii) but need help with Iiii)image.jpeg


Are you at least able to state the real value which is a solution?

EDIT: Bah never mind...
Reply 5
Original post by Bence9912
To show that this has one real root b^2-4ac=0
However in this it is a number greater than zero


Unfortunately not. f(x) already has one real root x - 1 = 0, you need to show it has no other real roots. To do this look at the discriminant of the quadratic factor. If it's coming out as greater than 0, either you're computing it wrong or your answer to (ii) is wrong.
Reply 6
Original post by uchihaitachi0023
okay f(x)=x^3+4x-5
is f(x)=0
then x^3 + 4x - 5 = 0
which means
(x-1)(ur answer for ii)=0
if you do the discriminant of the quadratic (answer for ii) you should find that b^2-4ac < 0
and this means the quadratic (answer for ii) has no real roots/solutions
so the only root is x=1


Yea I managed to work this out from my answer. Zero is greater than my answer which shows it has no real roots but why does the question asks to show that it has exactly one real root if it has none. Does this make sence?
Reply 7
Original post by Zacken
Unfortunately not. f(x) already has one real root x - 1 = 0, you need to show it has no other real roots. To do this look at the discriminant of the quadratic factor. If it's coming out as greater than 0, either you're computing it wrong or your answer to (ii) is wrong.

Oh right. This is kind of an awkward question but I get what you are saying thanks
Reply 8
Putting x^2-x+5 (answer to ii) intob^2-4ac gives -19<0 so no real roots therefore the only real root of fx is x-1
Reply 9
Original post by Bence9912
Putting x^2-x+5 (answer to ii) intob^2-4ac gives -19<0 so no real roots therefore the only real root of fx is x-1


The only real root is the solution to x-1=0, which is...

(A root to an equation is a number!)
Reply 10
Original post by Bence9912
Yea I managed to work this out from my answer. Zero is greater than my answer which shows it has no real roots but why does the question asks to show that it has exactly one real root if it has none. Does this make sence?


The original cubic function has (at least) one real root which you have found/

The discriminant shows that the quadratic you get when you divide out the linear factor has no real roots. Therefore the cubic has exactly one real root.

Does that make things clearer?
Reply 11
Original post by shamika
The only real root is the solution to x-1=0, which is...

(A root to an equation is a number!)

Should be 1
Original post by Bence9912
Should be 1


Yep (sorry for being a pedant, but your examiner will be too!)

Quick Reply

Latest