Final answer:
The discriminant of a quadratic equation gives you information about the number and type of solutions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The discriminant of a quadratic equation gives you two pieces of information:
- The number of solutions: If the discriminant is positive, the equation has two distinct real solutions. If the discriminant is zero, the equation has one real solution (a repeated root). If the discriminant is negative, the equation has no real solutions, only complex solutions.
- The type of solutions: If the discriminant is positive, the solutions are real (rational or irrational). If the discriminant is zero, the solutions are real and rational. If the discriminant is negative, the solutions are complex (conjugate pairs).