Beginners series .. Quadratic equation

Prove that if the equation ax2+ bx+ c= 0 has real roots then b2≥4ac

Prove this in as many ways you can.

nishant sir,i hope u wnt mind me posting qns ;)

@ Beginners: If u think this is useless , u will surely miss some thing... there are really interesting ways to prove this..which can help to do other questions too

23 Answers

1
chintan patel patel ·

bhaiya what is the graphical proof

1
narayan ·

Completing The Square We Get -

\left ( x+ \frac{b}{2a} \right )^{2} = \frac{b^2-4ac}{4a^2}

\left ( x+ \frac{b}{2a} \right ) = \sqrt{\frac{b^2-4ac}{4a^2}}

since for x to be real the quantity under square root must be greater than or
equal to 0 and denominator not equal to 0

hence,

{b^2-4ac}\geq 0

and

a\neq 0

341
Hari Shankar ·

ya, sorry i missed that bit out. :D

21
Shubhodip ·

are r_{i} , r_{j} roots of the monic polynomial ? thnks.)

341
Hari Shankar ·

In general for any monic polynomial the expression

\prod_{i<j} (r_1-r_j)^2

expressed in terms of the coefficients is known as the discriminant and is helpful in deciding the nature of the roots

21
Shubhodip ·

yes. nice proof. i gueess arnab was trying to write the same,)

62
Lokesh Verma ·

Great proof shubhodeep, which inspires me to give a much much simpler proof....

p and q are the roots,

\\(p-q)^2=(p+q)^2-4pq\ge0 \\(-b/a)^2-4(c/a)\ge0 \\\frac{b^2-4ac}{a^2}\ge0 \\b^2-4ac\ge0

21
Shubhodip ·

@nishant sir, one possible proof

as shown by arnab in post 11 p(i)p(-i) = b^2 + (c-a)^2

let the roots of p(x) be m , n , then p(x) = a(x-m)(x-a)

p(i)p(-i) = a^2 (1+ m^2)(1+ n^2) ;

So, b^2 + (c-a)^2 = a^2 (1+ m^2)(1+ n^2)

By C.S inequality a^2 (1+ m^2)(1+ n^2) \geq a^2(1+mn)^2 = a^2(1+ \frac{c}{a})^2

That means b^2 + (c-a)^2 \geq a^2(1+ \frac{c}{a})^2

which simplifies to b^2 \geq 4ac [1]

62
Lokesh Verma ·

chintan, that was one proof i did extensively in the class..

remember px^2+q

and then what can u say if q is +ve/ -ve?

1
aditya ravichandran ·

graphical way ...

f(x)=ax2+bx+c..

lets find where f'(x)=0

x0=-b2a

now for real roots

f(x0)≤0

this gives

b2-4ac≥0

i think this is what is in shubomoy's mind

21
Arnab Kundu ·

b2< 4ac in the 1st place...

21
Arnab Kundu ·

now let me establish my own sol................

let the eqn. havind b2<4ac has real root......namely α and β

so, b2<1ac
or, b2/a2<4c/a
or,(-b/a)2<4(c/a)
or,(α+β)2<4αβ
or,(α-β)<0
so this happens only when α and β are imaginary.............................

62
Lokesh Verma ·

absolutely not.. this is a great question.. but lets see how many class xi guys are active here? :P

49
Subhomoy Bakshi ·

graphical proof is also easy and nice! (though grahical proofs are not accepted in RMO..Nishant Bhaiya told me! [2])

21
Arnab Kundu ·

let p(x)=ax2+bx+c

so, p(i)=-a+bi+c
and P(-i)=-a-bi+c

P(i)p(-i)=(-a+bi+c)(-a-bi+c)
=(c-a)2-(bi)
=(c-a)2+b2

=a^{2}(\frac{c}{a}-1)+a^{2}(-\frac{b}{a})^{2}
let shubhodip do the rest because he has shown me this process............................

30
Ashish Kothari ·

Why is everyone using the results? Trying proving the result (read Sreedharacharya's Rule).

49
Subhomoy Bakshi ·

Prove this in as many ways you can.
this is most important part! [3]

1
manojkataria ·

well the question is easy but hard to proove
let the roots are real then,

x = -b ± √b2 -4ac 2a is real

here -b and 2a is real but √b2 -4ac will be real if b2 - 4ac ≥ 0

if not the roots will be complex

36
rahul ·

tht is wt i mean but....

39
Pritish Chakraborty ·

Why not just complete the square and compare both sides after isolating x? Then if x is a real variable, the other side must also be real...apply certain restrictions on a square root function and voila.

36
rahul ·

cnt get u sir! ....

62
Lokesh Verma ·

no rahul..

a hint would be the proof of it

36
rahul ·

one logical way is
if b2 - 4ac < 0 then
d is less than 0 nd
by shree dharacharyas rule....
roots will not be real...
as a ngtive qty under root is imaginary.....

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