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Titleist
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MA
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fresinha12
statement 1 is enough..


please explain for everyone else
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Titleist, are you sure there is no typo in the question? To me, x^2-(sqrt. 2)x+4 = 0 has no real solution with the quadratic equation. By the way, I read the above as x^2 - sqrt(2)*x + 4 = 0. If it is so, then there is no real solution. Just think of it as the higher the second term will be, the even more the first term will be and the equation will never be = 0
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fresinha12
statement 1 is enough..

please explain for everyone else



yes it is A.

Given that F(x) = x^2-(sqrt. 2)x+4

then F(a) = a^2-(sqrt. 2) a+4
0 = a^2-(sqrt. 2) a+4
a^2 = (sqrt. 2) a+4
squaring both sides,

a^4 = a+4

from (i)
lets suppose the value of a = 2
a^4 = a+4
16 = 2 + 4
16 = 6 which is not the solution of the equation. therefore, to satisfy the equation a must be less than 2 but positive.

from (ii), the value of a can be both positive and negative.

therefore, the answer is A.




1) a is postive

2) a^2 is an integer
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MA, your answer has 2 flaws.
1-
Quote:
0 = a^2-(sqrt. 2) a+4
a^2 = (sqrt. 2) a+4
When you brought a^2 to the left side, you omitted the negative sign of (sqrt. 2)a. This is crucial because if you are squaring both sides, you are looking for another degree answer which omits the fact that there is a root which is negative. You just cannot do this
2-
Quote:
squaring both sides,

a^4 = a+4

Squaring both sides would have given a^4 = 2a^2 + 4. Alright, this is a minor error only but still, if you take into consideration my first reasoning, this cannot even be.

I believe this question has some problems to it.
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quadratic equation is: [b +/- sqrt(b^2 - 4ac)] / 2a
a = 1
b = -sqrt2
c = 4
Just plug in the values and you will see that (b^2 - 4ac) will always have a negative value and you cannot have the sqrt of a negative number.
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Paul
MA, your answer has 2 flaws.
1-
Quote:
0 = a^2-(sqrt. 2) a+4
a^2 = (sqrt. 2) a+4
When you brought a^2 to the left side, you omitted the negative sign of (sqrt. 2)a. This is crucial because if you are squaring both sides, you are looking for another degree answer which omits the fact that there is a root which is negative. You just cannot do this
2-
Quote:
squaring both sides,

a^4 = a+4
Squaring both sides would have given a^4 = 2a^2 + 4. Alright, this is a minor error only but still, if you take into consideration my first reasoning, this cannot even be.

I believe this question has some problems to it.


Paul,

My understanding to the question is as under:

(sqrt. 2) = only square root under (a+4).

with this supposition, squaring both sider of the equation yields,
a^4 = a+4



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