What is the value of a to have double solutions in this quadratic equation?

That said, I'm pretty sure the value of "a" is trivial, as long as it's not 0, because the graph of the parabola always crosses the x axis at two distinct points, regardless of the value of "a". I'm thinking that means that the question is either a trick, or a poorly worded question, and the answer is "all of the above" because they all produce two distinct roots. Of course, I'm probably wrong...
  • #1
kreshnik
5
0

Homework Statement


How should be the value of a so quadratic equation [tex]ax^2-4x+4=0[/tex] to have double solutions?
[tex]A)\;\;2[/tex]
[tex]B)\;\;1[/tex]
[tex]C)\;-1[/tex]
[tex]D)\;-2[/tex]

Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution


[tex]D=b^2-4ac[/tex]
If:
[tex]D>0\;\;\rightarrow\; {x_1,x_2}\;\rightarrow\;\text{double solutions.}[/tex]
[tex]D=0\;\;\rightarrow\; {x_1}\;\rightarrow\;\text{only one solution}[/tex]
[tex]D<0\;\;\rightarrow\; \text{no solution.}[/tex]

so:
[tex](-4)^2-4*a*4=16-16*a[/tex]
[tex]\text{If:}\;\;a=-1\;\;\rightarrow\;D=32[/tex]
[tex]\text{If:}\;\;a=-2\;\;\rightarrow\;D=48[/tex]

Which one should be?? thank you.
 
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  • #2
Looks like both C and D work. Are you only allowed to choose one answer?
 
  • #3
kreshnik said:
How should be the value of a so quadratic equation
[tex]ax^2-4x+4=0[/tex] to have

----> double <---- solutions?

[itex]\text{No, this word is misleading and must be instead be}[/itex]
[itex]\text{meant for the solution to be repeated, and not be "double,"}[/itex]
[itex]\text{as in two different solutions.}[/itex]


[tex]A)\;\;2[/tex]
[tex]B)\;\;1[/tex]
[tex]C)\;-1[/tex]
[tex]D)\;-2[/tex]

Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution


[tex]D=b^2-4ac[/tex]
If:
[tex]D>0\;\;\rightarrow\; {x_1,x_2}\;\rightarrow\;\text{double solutions.}[/tex]
[tex]D=0\;\;\rightarrow\; {x_1}\;\rightarrow\;\text{only one solution}[/tex]
[tex]D<0\;\;\rightarrow\; \text{no solution.}[/tex]

so:
[tex](-4)^2-4*a*4=16-16*a[/tex]
[tex]\text{If:}\;\;a=-1\;\;\rightarrow\;D=32[/tex]
[tex]\text{If:}\;\;a=-2\;\;\rightarrow\;D=48[/tex]

Which one should be?? thank you.


"Double" here should mean the solutions are twins.


So, you need D = 0, so that there is a repeated solution.

[itex]So, \ set \ \ 16 - 16a \ \ equal \ to \ 0 \ and \ solve [/itex]

[itex]\ for \ that \ value \ of \ a.[/itex]


*** Edit


That means that a = 1.

So, the answer is B.



***2nd edit:

Curious3141 repeated the essence of what I already stated.
 
Last edited:
  • #4
Terrible question. "Double solutions" is nonsensical. It's either "distinct real roots" for D>0 or "single repeated root" for D=0.
 
  • #5
checkitagain said:
"Double" here should mean the solutions are twins.


So, you need D = 0, so that there is a repeated solution.

[itex]So, \ set \ \ 16 - 16a \ \ equal \ to \ 0 \ and \ solve [/itex]

[itex]\ for \ that \ value \ of \ a.[/itex]


*** Edit


That means that a = 1.

So, the answer is B.



***2nd edit:

Curious3141 repeated the essence of what I already stated.

No, by double, I meant: example: [tex]x_1=3\;\;,\;\;x_2=7[/tex] just example, not twins or the same but two different, sorry for that.

Curious3141 said:
Terrible question. "Double solutions" is nonsensical. It's either "distinct real roots" for D>0 or "single repeated root" for D=0.

"Terrible question??" let's see if you understand it in my Language.!

Sa duhet të jetë parametri a ashtuqë ekuacioni [tex]ax^2-4a+4=0 [/tex] te kete dy zgjidhje te ndryshme?

Do you like that??... English is a FOREIGN language for me, and I'm not blaming you for anything, It's ok that you defined it "Terrible question" , but try to understand (ask me) before you judge! So I guess, C and D should be correct, am I wrong?
 
  • #6
kreshnik said:
No, by double, I meant: example: [tex]x_1=3\;\;,\;\;x_2=7[/tex] just example, not twins or the same but two different, sorry for that.
"Terrible question??" let's see if you understand it in my Language.!

Sa duhet të jetë parametri a ashtuqë ekuacioni [tex]ax^2-4a+4=0 [/tex] te kete dy zgjidhje te ndryshme?

Do you like that??... English is a FOREIGN language for me, and I'm not blaming you for anything, It's ok that you defined it "Terrible question" , but try to understand (ask me) before you judge! So I guess, C and D should be correct, am I wrong?

No need to get all grumpy. I was commenting on the question as it was phrased, and I naturally assumed that was how it had been presented to you. How was I supposed to know you had translated it in an ambiguous fashion? I am not a mindreader.:rolleyes:

In any case, if you meant TWO separate real roots, there is no unique answer, as LearninDaMath has already pointed out to you. C and D both fit.
 
  • #7
kreshnik said:

Homework Statement


How should be the value of a so quadratic equation [tex]ax^2-4x+4=0[/tex] to have double solutions?
[tex]A)\;\;2[/tex]
[tex]B)\;\;1[/tex]
[tex]C)\;-1[/tex]
[tex]D)\;-2[/tex]

Homework Equations


The Attempt at a Solution


[tex]D=b^2-4ac[/tex]
If:
[tex]D>0\;\;\rightarrow\; {x_1,x_2}\;\rightarrow\;\text{double solutions.}[/tex]
[tex]D=0\;\;\rightarrow\; {x_1}\;\rightarrow\;\text{only one solution}[/tex]
[tex]D<0\;\;\rightarrow\; \text{no solution.}[/tex]

so:
[tex](-4)^2-4*a*4=16-16*a[/tex]
[tex]\text{If:}\;\;a=-1\;\;\rightarrow\;D=32[/tex]
[tex]\text{If:}\;\;a=-2\;\;\rightarrow\;D=48[/tex]

Which one should be?? thank you.

Kreshnik , here double roots means "real and distinct roots."
Here discriminant is greater than 0.

D>0
You have

D=b2−4ac
or
b2−4ac > 0
Plug in the values and find for a i.e. inequality in "a".
What do you get ?
 
  • #8
Sankaplmittal,

double roots mean that the roots are equal. http://www.tpub.com/math1/17g.htm
Kreshnik has shown already at what values of parameter "a" the discriminant is greater than zero, so the equation has two real and distinct roots .

ehild
 
  • #9
Curious3141 said:
No need to get all grumpy. I was commenting on the question as it was phrased, and I naturally assumed that was how it had been presented to you. How was I supposed to know you had translated it in an ambiguous fashion? I am not a mindreader.:rolleyes:

In any case, if you meant TWO separate real roots, there is no unique answer, as LearninDaMath has already pointed out to you. C and D both fit.

Curious3141 I hope I didn't offend you, if I did it, I'm sorry.
Thanks everyone for being patience. I think now I learned what I wanted to know.
Thank you everyone.
 
  • #10
kreshnik said:
Curious3141 I hope I didn't offend you, if I did it, I'm sorry.
Thanks everyone for being patience. I think now I learned what I wanted to know.
Thank you everyone.

No worries, didn't mean to offend you either, and glad you learned what you wanted to know. :smile:
 
  • #11
kreshnik said:
Sa duhet të jetë parametri a ashtuqë ekuacioni [tex]ax^2-4a+4=0 [/tex] te kete dy zgjidhje te ndryshme?
Out of curiosity, what language is this? Hungarian?
 
  • #12
Curious3141 said:
No need to get all grumpy. I was commenting on the question as it was phrased, and I naturally assumed that was how it had been presented to you. How was I supposed to know you had translated it in an ambiguous fashion? I am not a mindreader.:rolleyes:

In any case, if you meant TWO separate real roots, there is no unique answer, as LearninDaMath has already pointed out to you. C and D both fit.


I never encountered a problem where I had to choose a number that produced two identical roots. I've only had to show whether there were two real, two complex, or 1 roots. I saw this question and thought i'd try my best to be productive by contributing while patiently waiting for my most recent thread to garner a little help lol.
 
  • #13
LearninDaMath said:
I never encountered a problem where I had to choose a number that produced two identical roots. I've only had to show whether there were two real, two complex, or 1 roots. I saw this question and thought i'd try my best to be productive by contributing while patiently waiting for my most recent thread to garner a little help lol.
If you're referring to a quadratic equation, then the case of "1 roots" is the same as the case of two identical real roots .
 
  • #14
SammyS said:
If you're referring to a quadratic equation, then the case of "1 roots" is the same as the case of two identical real roots .

Oh, so asking for "double solutions" or "two identical solutions" is the same thing as asking for 1 solution? If so, then of course, makes sense. Is it common for the x that yields 1 root to be asked in the terminology of finding "two identical solutions?" I don't recall hearing it put like that before.
 
  • #15
Mark44 said:
Out of curiosity, what language is this? Hungarian?

No, it is not. :smile:

But Google said it was Albanian, and "te kete dy zgjidhje te ndryshme" = "Have two different solutions"

Is it right, Kreshnik?

ehild
 
  • #16
ehild said:
No, it is not. :smile:

But Google said it was Albanian, and "te kete dy zgjidhje te ndryshme" = "Have two different solutions"

Is it right, Kreshnik?

ehild

Exactly...I hope you're convinced now. I'm albanian, Kosova.
Cheers!
 
  • #17
Mark44 wrote:

"Out of curiosity, what language is this? Hungarian? "

I think the value of the roots is the same in any language ;) .
 
  • #18
kreshnik said:
Exactly...I hope you're convinced now. I'm albanian, Kosova.
Cheers!

So we live quite close -I am Hungarian. :smile:

ehild
 
  • #19
ehild said:
So we live quite close -I am Hungarian. :smile:

ehild

I guess we do! I'm glad we're neighbour. Take care. :smile:
 

1. What is a quadratic equation?

A quadratic equation is a polynomial equation of the form ax^2 + bx + c = 0, where a, b, and c are constants and x is the variable. It is called a quadratic equation because the highest power of x is 2.

2. How do you solve a quadratic equation?

There are several methods to solve a quadratic equation, including factoring, using the quadratic formula, completing the square, and graphing. The most commonly used method is the quadratic formula, which is x = (-b ± √(b^2 - 4ac)) / 2a.

3. What is the discriminant in a quadratic equation?

The discriminant is the part of the quadratic formula under the square root sign, b^2 - 4ac. It helps determine the nature of the solutions to the quadratic equation. If the discriminant is positive, the equation has two distinct real solutions. If it is zero, the equation has one real solution. And if it is negative, the equation has two complex solutions.

4. What are the different types of solutions to a quadratic equation?

There are three types of solutions to a quadratic equation: two distinct real solutions, one real solution, and two complex solutions. Two distinct real solutions occur when the discriminant is positive and the solutions are two different numbers. One real solution occurs when the discriminant is zero and the solution is a single number. Two complex solutions occur when the discriminant is negative and the solutions are two complex numbers of the form a + bi, where a and b are real numbers and i is the imaginary unit.

5. How are quadratic equations used in real life?

Quadratic equations are used in many real-life applications, such as in physics, engineering, and economics. They can be used to model the trajectory of a projectile, the shape of a parabolic dish, or the profit function of a business. They are also used to solve optimization problems, such as finding the maximum or minimum value of a function.

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