Final answer:
The value of the discriminant (A) for the quadratic equation x² - 6x – 5 = 0 is 56, indicating that the equation has two real and distinct solutions.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the value of the discriminant (A) for the quadratic equation x² - 6x – 5 = 0, we need to compare it to the standard quadratic equation format ax² + bx + c = 0. In this case, a = 1, b = -6, and c = -5. The discriminant of a quadratic equation is calculated using the formula b² - 4ac. Substituting our values in, we get (-6)² - 4(1)(-5), which simplifies to 36 + 20, giving us a discriminant value of 56. As the discriminant is positive, this means that the quadratic equation has two real and distinct solutions.