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From the quadratic equation 3x² + X - 5 = 0, find alpha square plus beta square​

User Smolinari
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1 Answer

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23 votes

Answer:

α² +β² = 3 4/9

Explanation:

Assuming α and β are solutions to the equation, it can be factored as ...

(x -α)(x -β) = 0

Expanding this, we get ...

x² -(α +β)x +αβ = 0

Dividing the original equation by 3, we find ...

x² +(1/3)x -5/3 ≡ x² -(α+β)x +αβ ⇒ (α+β) = -1/3, αβ = -5/3

We know that the square (α+β)² can be expanded to ...

(α +β)² = α² +β² +2αβ

α² +β² = (α +β)² -2αβ . . . . . . subtract 2αβ

Substituting the values for (α+β) and αβ, we find the desired expression is ...

α² +β² = (-1/3)² -2(-5/3) = 1/9 +10/3 = 31/9

α² +β² = 3 4/9

User Taye
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