Online Course Discussion Forum

Math Challenge II-B 7.27 Algebra

 
 
Picture of Raymond luo
Math Challenge II-B 7.27 Algebra
by Raymond luo - Wednesday, July 29, 2020, 10:48 AM
 

I'm kind of confused as how to factor the discriminant of this quadratic: $x^2+2(1+a)x+(3a^2+4ab+4b^2+2)=0$. I got a really messy equation out of it.

 
Picture of James Shi
Re: Math Challenge II-B 7.27 Algebra
by James Shi - Thursday, July 30, 2020, 10:29 PM
 
You can expand the discriminant and, if you put everything on one side of the inequality and group the terms, you will find two perfect squares.