29-08-09 Another quadratic equation question..

If a, b, c are distinct real numbers, then, the number of real roots of \frac{(x-a)(x-b)}{(c-a)(c-b)}+\frac{(x-a)(x-c)}{(b-a)(b-c)}+\frac{(x-b)(x-c)}{(a-b)(a-c)}-1 is?

15 Answers

1
Bicchuram Aveek ·

3 real roots - a,b and c. Am I right ?

62
Lokesh Verma ·

aveek.. can a quadratic equation have 3 real roots?! :O

62
Lokesh Verma ·

to be more lucid.. what does this show? (The above equation is not a quadratic equation?)

Actually you got into the trap of the question.. and after getting that answer that you did, something must strike you!

1
Bicchuram Aveek ·

Most true . Then it's not an equation but an Identity. Right ?

62
Lokesh Verma ·

Bingo :)

Lets hope that the others take a cue from this trick.. and I will post the next question.. (open for everyone but aveek :) :D

62
Lokesh Verma ·

No one else!! I thought this was really important for beginners to understand polynomials and quadratics...

Neone other than Aveek, please give the complete proof.. (just read teh posts 2,3,4,5 )

11
virang1 Jhaveri ·

The roots are 3 and they are a,b,c

See
According to langeranges interpolation

F(x) = (x-a)(x-b)F(c)/(c-a)(c-b) + (x-c)(x-b)F(a)/(a-c)(a-b) + (x-a)(x-c)F(b)/(b-a)(b-c)

Now in the above equation F(c) = F(a) = F(b) = 1 and hence the root of the above equation will be a,b,c

62
Lokesh Verma ·

Virang there is more to it..

read #3 again!

62
Lokesh Verma ·

No one yet!!

24
eureka123 ·

I odnt get what are we discussing here..............

putting x=a,x=b,x=c gives the expression zero..so its not an eqn..its an identity.......

and can have any number of roots..

1
xYz ·

it is not a quadratic equation

62
Lokesh Verma ·

So what is it? and y do you only think?

there have been 3-4 questions of the same kind put here.. may be u were all not reading them or understanding them :(

23
qwerty ·

its an identity ..as simple as dat ....
its like a2 -b 2 = (a+b)(a-b) is an identity ...same is dis ....

39
Dr.House ·

already this one had a healthy discussion here, not able to give the old link as of now...

anwyays nishant sir .. everyr eal number is a root of this equation thats is what it means.

39
Dr.House ·

a famous q.. i guess in arthur enge...

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