2 solutions:
1) m =(4-√52)/2=2-√ 13 = -1.606
2) m =(4+√52)/2=2+√ 13 = 5.606
Step-by-step explanation
The first term is, m2 its coefficient is 1 .
The middle term is, -4m its coefficient is -4 .
The last term, "the constant", is -9
Step-1 : Multiply the coefficient of the first term by the constant 1 • -9 = -9
Step-2 : Find two factors of -9 whose sum equals the coefficient of the middle term, which is -4 .
-9 + 1 = -8
-3 + 3 = 0
-1 + 9 = 8
Observation : No two such factors can be found !!
Conclusion : Trinomial can not be factored
Equation at the end of step 1:
m2 - 4m - 9 = 0
STEP 2:
Parabola, Finding the Vertex:
2.1 Find the Vertex of y = m2-4m-9
Parabolas have a highest or a lowest point called the Vertex . Our parabola opens up and accordingly has a lowest point (AKA absolute minimum) . We know this even before plotting "y" because the coefficient of the first term, 1 , is positive (greater than zero).
Each parabola has a vertical line of symmetry that passes through its vertex. Because of this symmetry, the line of symmetry would, for example, pass through the midpoint of the two x -intercepts (roots or solutions) of the parabola. That is, if the parabola has indeed two real solutions.
Parabolas can model many real life situations, such as the height above ground, of an object thrown upward, after some period of time. The vertex of the parabola can provide us with information, such as the maximum height that object, thrown upwards, can reach. For this reason we want to be able to find the coordinates of the vertex.
For any parabola,Am2+Bm+C,the m -coordinate of the vertex is given by -B/(2A) . In our case the m coordinate is 2.0000
Plugging into the parabola formula 2.0000 for m we can calculate the y -coordinate :
y = 1.0 * 2.00 * 2.00 - 4.0 * 2.00 - 9.0
or y = -13.000
Parabola, Graphing Vertex and X-Intercepts :
Root plot for : y = m2-4m-9
Axis of Symmetry (dashed) {m}={ 2.00}
Vertex at {m,y} = { 2.00,-13.00}
m -Intercepts (Roots) :
Root 1 at {m,y} = {-1.61, 0.00}
Root 2 at {m,y} = { 5.61, 0.00}
Add 9 to both side of the equation :
m2-4m = 9
Now the clever bit: Take the coefficient of m , which is 4 , divide by two, giving 2 , and finally square it giving 4
Add 4 to both sides of the equation :
On the right hand side we have :
9 + 4 or, (9/1)+(4/1)
The common denominator of the two fractions is 1 Adding (9/1)+(4/1) gives 13/1
So adding to both sides we finally get :
m2-4m+4 = 13
Adding 4 has completed the left hand side into a perfect square :
m2-4m+4 =
(m-2) • (m-2) =
(m-2)2
Things which are equal to the same thing are also equal to one another. Since
m2-4m+4 = 13 and
m2-4m+4 = (m-2)2
then, according to the law of transitivity,
(m-2)2 = 13
The Square Root Principle says that When two things are equal, their square roots are equal.
Note that the square root of
(m-2)2 is
(m-2)2/2 =
(m-2)1 =
m-2
Now, applying the Square Root Principle to Eq. #2.2.1 we get:
m-2 = √ 13
Add 2 to both sides to obtain:
m = 2 + √ 13
Since a square root has two values, one positive and the other negative
m2 - 4m - 9 = 0
has two solutions:
m = 2 + √ 13
or
m = 2 - √ 13
Solving m2-4m-9 = 0 by the Quadratic Formula .
According to the Quadratic Formula, m , the solution for Am2+Bm+C = 0 , where A, B and C are numbers, often called coefficients, is given by :
- B ± √ B2-4AC
m = ————————
2A
In our case, A = 1
B = -4
C = -9
Accordingly, B2 - 4AC =
16 - (-36) =
52
Applying the quadratic formula :
4 ± √ 52
m = —————
2
Can √ 52 be simplified ?
Yes! The prime factorization of 52 is
2•2•13
To be able to remove something from under the radical, there have to be 2 instances of it (because we are taking a square i.e. second root).
√ 52 = √ 2•2•13 =
± 2 • √ 13
√ 13 , rounded to 4 decimal digits, is 3.6056
So now we are looking at:
m = ( 4 ± 2 • 3.606 ) / 2
Two real solutions:
m =(4+√52)/2=2+√ 13 = 5.606
or:
m =(4-√52)/2=2-√ 13 = -1.606
