Need to find c in a quadratic equation

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on determining the value of k in the quadratic equation 5x² + 13x + k, given that the roots are α and 1/(αα). The key insight is that if the second root is 1/α, the product of the roots leads to the equation α * (1/α) = k/5, simplifying to k = 5. However, if the second root is 1/(α²), the problem becomes more complex, requiring the use of both the sum and product of roots to derive a cubic equation in k. The correct interpretation of the roots is crucial for solving the equation accurately.

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chomsky
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Homework Statement



If α and [itex]\frac{1}{αα}[/itex]are the roots of the equation [itex]5x^{2}+13x+k[/itex] then k will be:

a) 5
b) -5
c) 13
d) 1


Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution



I've tried multiplying both the roots to get [itex]\frac{c}{a}[/itex] and adding the roots to get [itex]\frac{-b}{a}\frac{}{}[/itex], and then I've tried to add the sum and the product of the roots on the LHS and corresponding to it, [itex]\frac{c}{a}[/itex] and [itex]\frac{-b}{a}[/itex] on the RHS. But I just can't get the answer, and I can't figure out how to solve this any differently. Any help or ideas on how to go about solving this type of question would be greatly appreciated.
 
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Hi chomsky!

Is the second root [itex]1/\alpha[/itex] or [itex]1/\alpha^2[/itex]?

If it is the the first, the question would be really simple, as their product is

[tex]\alpha \cdot \frac{1}{\alpha} = \frac{k}{5}[/tex]
What does this give you? :wink:If the second, you won't get an answer matching your options. But you can use the relation from product of roots and substitute it in the equation from sum of roots to get a cubic equation in k.
 

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