96.6k views
1 vote
Use the fundamental theorem of algebra to determine the number of roots for 2x^2+4x+7

User Natxty
by
7.4k points

1 Answer

4 votes
Altho' I'm not using the fund. thm. of alg. specifically to determine the # of roots of 2x^2 + 4x + 7, polynomials of the nth degree all have n roots.

Completing the square: 2x^2 + 4x + 7
2(x^2 + 2x + 1 - 1) +7
2(x+1)^2 - 2 +7
2(x+1)^2 + 5

To solve for the roots, set the above = to 0 and solve for x:

2(x+1)^2 = -5 => (x+1)^2 = -5/2

x+1 = plus or minus sqrt (-5/2) => x+1 = plus or minus i*sqrt(5/2)

... and so on. As expected, this 2nd order poly has 2 roots. The roots in this case happen to be complex.
User Steven Almeroth
by
8.2k points

No related questions found

Welcome to QAmmunity.org, where you can ask questions and receive answers from other members of our community.

9.4m questions

12.2m answers

Categories