84.6k views
0 votes
Explain how to find the solution to a quadratic equation with imaginary numbers using a calculator.

User Leolo
by
6.9k points

1 Answer

4 votes

Final answer:

To solve a quadratic equation with imaginary numbers using a calculator, follow these steps: write down the equation, enter the coefficients into the calculator, use the quadratic formula to calculate the solutions, and round the solutions if necessary.

Step-by-step explanation:

To solve a quadratic equation with imaginary numbers using a calculator, follow these steps:

  1. Write down the equation in the form ax^2 + bx + c = 0, where a, b, and c are coefficients.
  2. Enter the values of a, b, and c into your calculator.
  3. Use the quadratic formula, x = (-b ± √(b^2 - 4ac))/(2a), to calculate the solutions.
  4. If the discriminant, b^2 - 4ac, is negative, you will get imaginary solutions.
  5. Round the solutions to the desired decimal places, if necessary.

For example, let's solve the equation 2x^2 + 5x + 3 = 0:

  1. Enter the values a = 2, b = 5, and c = 3 into your calculator.
  2. Use the quadratic formula to get x = (-5 ± √(5^2 - 4(2)(3)))/(2(2)).
  3. Simplifying, you get x = (-5 ± √(25 - 24))/(4), which becomes x = (-5 ± √(1))/(4).
  4. Since the discriminant is positive, the solutions are real.
  5. Rounding to two decimal places, you get x = (-5 + 1)/(4) = -1 and x = (-5 - 1)/(4) = -1.5.
User FFFffff
by
8.6k points