The Relationship Between the Roots and the Coefficients

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 131 views

Introduction

In algebra, a quadratic equation is a polynomial equation of degree two, which means the highest power of the variable is two. The general form of a quadratic equation is $ax^2 + bx + c = 0$ , where $a$ , $b$ , and $c$ are constants, and $x$ is the variable. The roots of a quadratic equation are the values of $x$ that satisfy the equation. In this article, we will explore the roots of a quadratic equation and use them to find the values of $b$ and $c$ .

The Quadratic Formula

The roots of a quadratic equation can be found using the quadratic formula: $x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a}$ . This formula gives us two roots, which are the solutions to the equation. In this case, we are given the roots as $\frac{2+i \sqrt{2}}{3}$ and $\frac{2-i \sqrt{2}}{3}$ .

The Relationship Between the Roots and the Coefficients

The roots of a quadratic equation are related to the coefficients $a$ , $b$ , and $c$ . Specifically, the sum of the roots is equal to $-\frac{b}{a}$ , and the product of the roots is equal to $\frac{c}{a}$ . We can use these relationships to find the values of $b$ and $c$ .

Finding the Value of b

We are given that the roots are $\frac{2+i \sqrt{2}}{3}$ and $\frac{2-i \sqrt{2}}{3}$ . We can add these roots together to find the sum of the roots: $\frac{2+i \sqrt{2}}{3} + \frac{2-i \sqrt{2}}{3} = \frac{4}{3}$ . Since the sum of the roots is equal to $-\frac{b}{a}$ , we can set up the equation: $-\frac{b}{a} = \frac{4}{3}$ . We are given that $a = -1$ , so we can substitute this value into the equation: $-\frac{b}{-1} = \frac{4}{3}$ . Simplifying this equation, we get: $b = -\frac{4}{3}$ .

Finding the Value of c

We can also use the product of the roots to find the value of $c$ . The product of the roots is equal to $\frac{c}{a}$ , so we can set up the equation: $\frac{c}{a} = \left(\frac{2+i \sqrt{2}}{3}\right)\left(\frac{2-i \sqrt{2}}{3}\right)$ . We can simplify this equation by multiplying the two roots together: $\frac{c}{a} = \frac{4-2i^2}{9}$ . Since $i^2 = -1$ , we can substitute this value into the equation: $\frac{c}{a} = \frac{4-2(-1)}{9}$ . Simplifying this equation, we get: $\frac{c}{a} = \frac{6}{9}$ . We are given that $a = -1$ , so we can substitute this value into the equation: $\frac{c}{-1} = \frac{6}{9}$ . Simplifying this equation, we get: $c = -\frac{6}{9}$ .

Conclusion

In this article, we used the roots of a quadratic equation to find the values of $b$ and $c$ . We found that $b = -\frac{4}{3}$ and $c = -\frac{6}{9}$ . These values can be used to write the quadratic equation in the form $ax^2 + bx + c = 0$ .

Final Answer

The final answer is:

$b = -\frac{4}{3}$
$c = -\frac{6}{9}$

Introduction

In our previous article, we explored the roots of a quadratic equation and used them to find the values of $b$ and $c$ . In this article, we will answer some frequently asked questions about quadratic equation roots.

Q: What are the roots of a quadratic equation?

A: The roots of a quadratic equation are the values of $x$ that satisfy the equation. They can be found using the quadratic formula: $x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a}$ .

Q: How do I find the sum of the roots of a quadratic equation?

A: The sum of the roots is equal to $-\frac{b}{a}$ . You can find the sum of the roots by adding the two roots together.

Q: How do I find the product of the roots of a quadratic equation?

A: The product of the roots is equal to $\frac{c}{a}$ . You can find the product of the roots by multiplying the two roots together.

Q: What is the relationship between the roots and the coefficients of a quadratic equation?

A: The roots of a quadratic equation are related to the coefficients $a$ , $b$ , and $c$ . Specifically, the sum of the roots is equal to $-\frac{b}{a}$ , and the product of the roots is equal to $\frac{c}{a}$ .

Q: Can I use the roots of a quadratic equation to find the value of $a$ ?

A: Yes, you can use the roots of a quadratic equation to find the value of $a$ . You can do this by using the relationships between the roots and the coefficients.

Q: How do I find the value of $b$ using the roots of a quadratic equation?

A: You can find the value of $b$ by using the sum of the roots. The sum of the roots is equal to $-\frac{b}{a}$ , so you can set up the equation: $-\frac{b}{a} = \text{sum of the roots}$ .

Q: How do I find the value of $c$ using the roots of a quadratic equation?

A: You can find the value of $c$ by using the product of the roots. The product of the roots is equal to $\frac{c}{a}$ , so you can set up the equation: $\frac{c}{a} = \text{product of the roots}$ .

Q: What are some common mistakes to avoid when working with quadratic equation roots?

A: Some common mistakes to avoid when working with quadratic equation roots include:

Not using the correct formula to find the roots
Not simplifying the equation correctly
Not using the correct relationships between the roots and the coefficients
Not checking the solutions for extraneous solutions

Conclusion

In this article, we answered some frequently asked questions about quadratic equation roots. We hope that this article has been helpful in clarifying some of the concepts related to quadratic equation roots.

Final Answer

The final answer is:

The roots of a quadratic equation are the values of $x$ that satisfy the equation.
The sum of the roots is equal to $-\frac{b}{a}$ .
The product of the roots is equal to $\frac{c}{a}$ .
You can use the roots of a quadratic equation to find the values of $b$ and $c$ .
You should avoid common mistakes such as not using the correct formula to find the roots and not simplifying the equation correctly.