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What is the value of the discriminant of f ?
F(x) = 3x^2 + 12x + 5

User Rockybilly
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2 Answers

4 votes
The answer is F(x) = 3(x+2)^2-7
User Rajan Bhavsar
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6 votes

The usual discriminant is d=b²-4ac

d = (12)² - 4(3)(5) = 144 - 60 = 84

Answer: 84

When we have an even b like this we can get 1/4 of the usual discriminant with (b/2)²-ac = 6² - (3)(5) = 36 - 15 = 21. That's a bit easier to calculate and usually just as good.

User Jackcogdill
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