Undergrad Quartic real roots - factor part into quadratic

  • Thread starter Thread starter binbagsss
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Quadratic Roots
Click For Summary
The discussion centers on determining whether a quartic function, specifically of the form f(x) = x^4 + (x+2)(x+1), can be concluded to have real roots based on the behavior of its quadratic components. It is established that the function f(x) = x^4 + (x+1)^2 has no real roots since it is always positive. Therefore, one cannot generally conclude that a quartic function will have real roots just because its quadratic part has a non-negative discriminant. A suggestion is made to consider the function f(x) = x^4 - (x+1)(x+1) instead, prompting clarification on the quadratic terms involved. The conversation highlights the complexity of determining real roots in quartic functions based on their quadratic factors.
binbagsss
Messages
1,291
Reaction score
12
If I have ##f(x)=x^4+(x+2)(x+1)##

basically a quartic without a cubic term for which it can be written as above : ##x^3## + some quadratic which has discrimant ##\geq 0 ##, so that the quadratic has real roots, can one ocnclude that ##f(x)## has real roots too?

thanks
 
Mathematics news on Phys.org
##f(x) = x^4 + (x+1)(x+1)##

has no real roots, since ##f > 0## everywhere (because ##f(x) = x^4 + (x+1)^2 \geq 0)##).

So, no, in general you can't conclude that.
 
Math_QED said:
##f(x) = x^4 + (x+1)(x+1)##

has no real roots, since ##f > 0## everywhere (because ##f(x) = x^4 + (x+1)^2 \geq 0)##).

So, no, in general you can't conclude that.
how about ##x^4-(x+1)(x+1)## ?
changing the sign to minus a quadratic?
 
Did you mean ##(x+1)(x+2)## or ##(x+1)^2## for the last part?
 
Here is a little puzzle from the book 100 Geometric Games by Pierre Berloquin. The side of a small square is one meter long and the side of a larger square one and a half meters long. One vertex of the large square is at the center of the small square. The side of the large square cuts two sides of the small square into one- third parts and two-thirds parts. What is the area where the squares overlap?

Similar threads

  • · Replies 16 ·
Replies
16
Views
5K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
1K
  • · Replies 19 ·
Replies
19
Views
3K
Replies
1
Views
1K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
3K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
1K