Solutions to Exercise 3I

1 a x2 + 2x − 4; ∆ < 0 so graph does not cross the

∆ = 22 − 4(−4) = 20 x axis

b x2 + 2x + 4;
∆ = 22 − 4(4) = −12 3 a x2 + 8x + 7;
∆ = 82 − 4(7) = 36
c x2 + 3x − 4; ∆ > 0 so the equation has 2 real roots
∆ = 32 − 4(−4) = 25
b 3x2 + 8x + 7;
d 2x2 + 3x − 4; ∆ = 82 − 4(7)(3) = −20
∆ = 32 − 8(−4) = 41 ∆ < 0 so no real roots

e −2x2 + 3x + 4; c 10x2 − x − 3;
∆ = 32 − 4(−2)(4) = 41 ∆ = 12 − 4(−3)(10) = 121
∆ > 0 so the equation has 2 real roots

2 a x2 − 5x + 2; d 2x2 + 8x − 7;
∆ = 52 − 4(2) = 17 ∆ = 82 − 4(−7)2 = 120
∆ > 0 so graph crosses the x-axis ∆ > 0 so the equation has 2 real roots

b −4x2 + 2x − 1; e 3x2 − 8x − 7;
∆ = 22 − 4(−4)(−1) = −12 ∆ = 82 − 4(−7)3 = 148
∆ < 0 so graph does not cross the ∆ > 0 so the equation has 2 real roots
x-axis
f 10x2 − x + 3;
c x − 6x + 9;
2
∆ = 12 − 4(10)(3) = −119
∆ = 62 − 4(9) = 10 ∆ < 0 so the equation has no real
∆ = 0 so graph touches the x-axis roots

d −2x2 − 3x + 8;
∆ = 32 − 4(−2)8 = 73
∆ > 0 so graph crosses the x-axis
e 3x2 + 2x + 5;
∆ = 22 − 4(5)(3) = −56
∆ < 0 so graph does not cross the
x-axis
f −x2 − x − 1;
∆ = 12 − 4(−1)(−1) = −3
4 a 9x2 − 24x + 16;
∆ = 242 − 4(9)(16) = 0
∆ = 0 so the equation has 1 rational
root
b −x2 − 5x − 6;
∆ = 52 − 4(−6)(−1) = 1
∆ > 0 so the equation has 2 rational
roots.
c x2 − x − 4;

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 ∆ = 12 − 4(−4) = 17 4
m = 0, satisfies this, but there
∆ > 0 so the equation has 2 irrational 3
is no solution to the equation if
roots, and is not a perfect square 4
m = 0, so { m : m = }
3
d 25x2 − 20x + 4;
∆ = 202 − 4(25)(4) = 0 iii If (3m2 − 4) > 0, 2 distinct
∆ = 0 so the equation has 1 rational solutions:
4
root and is a perfect square. { m : m < 0 } ∪ {m : m > }
3
e 6x2 − 3x − 2; c 5x2 − 5mx − m = 0
∆ = 32 − 4(6)(−2) = 57 ∆ = 25m2 + 20m = 5m(5m + 4)
∆ > 0 so the equation has 2 irrational
roots and is not a perfect square i If 5m(5m + 4) < 0, no real
solutions
f x2 + 3x + 2; 4
∆ = 0 at m = 0, −
∆ = 32 − 4(2) = 1 5
Quadratic in m is upright:
∆ > 0 so the equation has 2 rational 4
{ m: − < m < 0 }
roots and is not a perfect square 5
ii If 5m(5m + 4) = 0, one real
5 a x − 4mx + 20 = 0
2 solution:
4
∆ = 16m2 − 80 = 16(m2 − 5) { m : m = 0, − }
5
i If (m2 − 5) < 0, no real solutions: iii If 5m(5m + 4) > 0, 2 distinct
√ √
{ m: − 5 < m < 5 } solutions:
4
{ m: m < − } ∪ { m: m > 0 }
ii If (m2 − 5) = 0, one real solution: 5
√
{ m: m = ± 5 } d x2 + 4mx − 4(m − 2) = 0
∆ = 16m + 16(m − 2)
iii If (m2 − 5) > 0, 2 distinct
solutions: = 16(m2 + m − 2)
√ √
{ m: m < − 5 } ∪ { m: m > 5 }
i If m2 + m − 2 < 0, no real
b mx2 − 3mx + 3 = 0 solutions:
∆ = 9m2 − 12m = 3m(3m − 4) m2 + m − 2 = (m + 2)(m − 1)
Quadratic in m is upright, so
i If ∆ < 0, no real solutions: { m: − 2 < m < 1 }
4
∆ = 0 at m = 0,
3 ii If m2 + m − 2 = 0, one real
Upright parabola, so
4 solution:
{ m: 0 < m < } { m : m = −2, 1 }
3
ii If ∆ = 0, one real solution; iii If m2 + m − 2 > 0, 2 distinct

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 solutions: b 2x2 − 4x + 3 − p = 0
{ m : m < −2 } ∪ { m : m > 1 } ∆ = 16 − 4 × 2(3 − p)
Two solution ⇔ ∆ > 0
16 − 4 × 2(3 − p) > 0
6 mx2 + (2m + n)x + 2n = 0
∆ = (2m + n)2 − 8mn 8p − 8 > 0
= 4m2 + 4mn + n2 − 8mn p>1
= 4m2 − 4mn + n2 c 3x2 − 2x − p + 1 = 0
= (2m − n)2 ∆ = 4 − 4 × 3(1 − p)
This is a perfect square for all rational m Two solution ⇔ ∆ > 0
and n, so the solution is rational also. 12p − 8 > 0
2
p>
7 px2 + 2(p + 2)x + p + 7 = 0 3
∆ = 4(p + 2)2 − 4p(p + 7) d x2 − 2x + 2 − p = 0
= 4p2 + 16p + 16 − 4p − 28p ∆ = 4 − 4 × (2 − p)
Two solution ⇔ ∆ > 0
= 16 − 12p = 4(4 − 3p)
This equation has no real solution if 4p − 4 > 0
4 p>1
∆ < 0, i.e. if p >
3

10 y = px2 + 8x + p − 6
8 (1 − 2p)x2 + 8px − (2 + 8p) = 0
∆ = 64 − 4p(p − 6)
∆ = 64p2 + 4(1 − 2p)(2 + 8p)
= 4(−p + 6p + 16)
= 64p2 − 8(2p − 1)(4p + 1)
If the graph crosses the√x-axis, ∆ > 0:
= 64p2 − 8(8p2 − 2p − 1) −6 ± 100
∆ = 0 when p =
= 8(2p + 1) −2
∴ p = 3 ± 5 = −2, 8
This equation has one real solution if
Inverted quadratic, so ∆ > 0 when:
∆ = 0;
1 { p : −2 < p < 8 }
2p + 1 = 0 or p = −
2
11 (p2 + 1)x2 + 2pqx + q2 = 0
9 a px2 − 6x + 9 = 0 ∆ = 4p2 q2 − 4q2 (p2 + 1)
∆ = 36 − 4p2
= 4q2 (p2 − p2 − 1)
One solution ⇔ ∆ = 0
36 − 4p2 = 0 = −4q2
This is negative for all values of p, and
36 = 4p2 for all non-zero q, so there are no real
9 = p2 solutions.
p = ±3

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12 a For x2 + 4mx + 24m − 44 ∆ = (m − 4)2 − 4(4)(−m)
∆ = (4m)2 − 4(24m − 44) = m2 − 8m + 16 + 16m
= 16m2 − 96m + 176
= m2 + 8m + 16
b 4mx2 + 4(m − 1)x + m − 2 = 0 has = (m + 4)2
a solution for all values of m if and ∴ ∆ is a perfect square for all m
only if ∆ ≥ 0 for all m.
16m2 − 96m + 176
15 x2 − (m + 2n)x + 2mn = 0
= 16(m − 6m + 11)
2
∆ = (m + 2n)2 − 4 × 2mn
= 16(m2 − 6m + 9 + 2) = m2 + 4mn + 4n2 − 8mn
= 16(m − 3)2 + 32 ≥ 0 for all m = m2 − 4mn + 4n2
= (m − 2n)2
13 4mx2 + 4(m − 1)x + m − 2 Therefore ∆ is a perfect square. The
roots of the equation are rational.
a ∆ = 16(m − 1)2 − 4(4m)(m − 2)
= 16m2 − 32m + 16 − 16m2 + 32m
16 ∆ = b2 − 4(a)(−c) = b2 + 4ac > 0 ∴ the
= 16 graph of y = x2 + bx − c where a and c
are positive always intersects with the
b ∆ is a perfect square and thus the
x-axis.
solutions are rational for all m.

17 ∆ = b2 − 4(a)(c) = b2 − 4ac > 0 if .

14 4x2 + (m − 4)x − m = 0
∴ the graph of y = x2 + bx + c where
a is negative and c is positive always
intersects with the x-axis.

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