124 Chapter 2 Polynomial and Rational Functions
The Discriminant and the Solutions of a Quadratic Equation
The equation ax2 ϩ bx ϩ c 0, with real coefficients and a 0, has as its
discriminant b2 Ϫ 4ac.
If b2 Ϫ 4ac Ͼ 0, then ax2 ϩ bx ϩ c 0 has two distinct real solutions.
If b2 Ϫ 4ac 0, then ax2 ϩ bx ϩ c 0 has one real solution. The solution is
a double solution.
take note
If b2 Ϫ 4ac Ͻ 0, then ax2 ϩ bx ϩ c 0 has two distinct nonreal complex
The equation x 2 ϩ 6x ϩ 9 0 can
solutions. The solutions are conjugates of each other.
be solved by factoring as shown
below.
In the following examples we find the discriminant of each quadratic equa-
x 2 ϩ 6x ϩ 9 0
tion to determine whether its solutions are real numbers or nonreal complex
͑x ϩ 3͒͑x ϩ 3͒ 0 numbers.
xϩ30 or xϩ30
The discriminant of 2x2 Ϫ 5x ϩ 1 0 is b2 Ϫ 4ac ͑Ϫ5͒2 Ϫ 4͑2͒͑1͒ 17.
x Ϫ3 x Ϫ3 Because the discriminant is positive, 2x2 Ϫ 5x ϩ 1 0 has two distinct real
The two solutions are both the number solutions.
same real number, Ϫ3. When both The discriminant of 3x2 ϩ 6x ϩ 7 0 is b2 Ϫ 4ac 62 Ϫ 4͑3͒͑7͒ Ϫ48. Because
solutions of a quadratic equation the discriminant is negative, the equation 3x2 ϩ 6x ϩ 7 0 has two distinct non-
are the same real number, the real complex solutions.
solution is called a double solution The discriminant of x2 ϩ 6x ϩ 9 0 is b2 Ϫ 4ac 62 Ϫ 4͑1͒͑9͒ 0. Because the
or a double root. discriminant is zero, the equation x2 ϩ 6x ϩ 9 0 has one real solution. The
solution is a double root. See the Take Note at the left.
TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION
1. What is an imaginary number? What is a complex number?
2. How are the real numbers related to the complex numbers?
3. Is zero a complex number?
4. What is the conjugate of a complex number?
5. Explain how you know that the equation x2 ϩ bx Ϫ 2 0 always has real
number solutions regardless of the value of the real number b.
EXERCISE SET 2.1
In Exercises 1 to 10, write the complex number in standard 7. 5 ϩ ͙Ϫ49 ᭤ 8. 6 Ϫ ͙Ϫ1
form.
1. ͙Ϫ81 2. ͙Ϫ64 9. 8 Ϫ ͙Ϫ18 10. 11 ϩ ͙Ϫ48
3. ͙Ϫ98 4. ͙Ϫ27 In Exercises 11 to 30, simplify and write the complex num-
ber in standard form.
5. ͙16 ϩ ͙Ϫ81 6. ͙25 ϩ ͙Ϫ9 11. ͑5 ϩ 2i͒ ϩ ͑6 Ϫ 7i͒ 12. ͑4 Ϫ 8i͒ ϩ ͑5 ϩ 3i͒
2.1 Complex Numbers 125
13. ͑Ϫ2 Ϫ 4i͒ Ϫ ͑5 Ϫ 8i͒ 14. ͑3 Ϫ 5i͒ Ϫ ͑8 Ϫ 2i͒ 5Ϫi 4ϩi
39. 40.
4 ϩ 5i 3 ϩ 5i
15. ͑1 Ϫ 3i͒ ϩ ͑7 Ϫ 2i͒ 16. ͑2 Ϫ 6i͒ ϩ ͑4 Ϫ 7i͒
3 ϩ 2i 8Ϫi
17. ͑Ϫ3 Ϫ 5i͒ Ϫ ͑7 Ϫ 5i͒ ᭤ 18. ͑5 Ϫ 3i͒ Ϫ ͑2 ϩ 9i͒ 41. ᭤ 42.
3 Ϫ 2i 2 ϩ 3i
19. 3͑2 ϩ 5i͒ Ϫ 2͑3 Ϫ 2i͒ 20. 3i͑2 ϩ 5i͒ ϩ 2i͑3 Ϫ 4i͒
In Exercises 43 to 50, evaluate the power of i.
21. ͑4 ϩ 2i͒͑3 Ϫ 4i͒ 22. ͑6 ϩ 5i͒͑2 Ϫ 5i͒ 43. i 15 44. i 66 45. Ϫi 40 46. Ϫi 51
23. ͑Ϫ3 Ϫ 4i͒͑2 ϩ 7i͒ 24. ͑Ϫ5 Ϫ i͒͑2 ϩ 3i͒ 1 1
47. ᭤ 48. 49. i Ϫ34 50. i Ϫ52
i 25 i 83
25. ͑4 Ϫ 5i͒͑4 ϩ 5i͒ 26. ͑3 ϩ 7i͒͑3 Ϫ 7i͒
27. ͑ 3 ϩ ͙Ϫ4 ͒͑ 2 Ϫ ͙Ϫ9 ͒ In Exercises 51 to 60, take square roots to solve each quad-
ratic equation.
᭤ 28. ͑ 5 ϩ 2͙Ϫ16 ͒͑ 1 Ϫ ͙Ϫ25 ͒
51. x2 ϩ 49 0 52. x2 ϩ 4 0
29. ͑ 3 ϩ 2͙Ϫ18 ͒͑ 2 ϩ 2͙Ϫ50 ͒
53. 2x2 ϩ 18 0 54. 3x2 ϩ 48 0
30. ͑ 5 Ϫ 3͙Ϫ48 ͒͑ 2 Ϫ 4͙Ϫ27 ͒
55. ͑x Ϫ 3͒2 Ϫ36 56. ͑x Ϫ 5͒2 Ϫ64
In Exercises 31 to 42, write each expression as a complex 57. ͑x ϩ 2͒2 ϩ 5 0 58. ͑x ϩ 7͒2 ϩ 3 0
number in standard form.
59. ͑2x ϩ 3͒2 ϩ 25 0 60. ͑3x ϩ 2͒2 ϩ 100 0
6 Ϫ8
31. 32.
i 2i
In Exercises 61 to 70, use the quadratic formula to solve
6 ϩ 3i 4 Ϫ 8i each quadratic equation.
33. 34.
i 4i 61. x2 Ϫ 4x Ϫ29 62. x2 ϩ 6x Ϫ25
1 5 63. 2x2 ϩ 2x ϩ 1 0 64. 8x 2 ϩ 12x Ϫ17
35. 36.
7 ϩ 2i 3 ϩ 4i
65. x2 Ϫ 4x 1 ᭤ 66. 8x2 Ϫ 4x ϩ 5 0
2i 5i
37. 38. 67. 4x2 Ϫ 8x ϩ 13 0 68. 2x2 ϩ 2x ϩ 13 0
1ϩi 2 Ϫ 3i
69. 4x2 Ϫ 4x Ϫ9 70. 4x2 ϩ 4x ϩ 5 0
CONNE C T I NG CO N C E P T S
The property that the product of conjugates of the form 76. Show that if x 1 Ϫ 2i, then x2 Ϫ 2x ϩ 5 0.
(a ؉ bi)(a ؊ bi) is equal to a2 ؉ b2 can be used to factor
the sum of two perfect squares over the set of complex 77. When we think of the cube root of 8, ͙ 3
8, we normally
numbers. For example, x2 ؉ y2 ( ؍x ؉ yi)(x ؊ yi). In Exer- mean the real cube root of 8 and write ͙ 3
8 2. How-
cises 71 to 74, factor the binomial over the set of complex ever, there are two other cube roots of 8 that are com-
numbers. plex numbers. Verify that Ϫ1 ϩ i ͙ 3 and Ϫ1 Ϫ i ͙ 3 are
cube roots of 8 by showing that ͑ Ϫ1 ϩ i ͙ 3 ͒ 8 and
3
71. x2 ϩ 16 72. x2 ϩ 9
͑ Ϫ1 Ϫ i ͙ 3 ͒ 8.
3
73. 4x2 ϩ 81 74. 9x 2 ϩ 1
75. Show that if x 1 ϩ 2i, then x 2 Ϫ 2x ϩ 5 0.
