Location of Roots

Rarely Tested

Location of Roots

## Definition / Concept

The signs and values of a quadratic at selected points can be used to determine the location of its roots.

## Formula

For:

$$f(x)=ax^2+bx+c$$

if $$f(\alpha)$$ and $$f(\beta)$$ have opposite signs, then there is at least one root between $$\alpha$$ and $$\beta$$.

For distinct real roots:

$$f(x)<0$$

between the roots when:

$$a>0$$

and:

$$f(x)>0$$

outside the roots.

## Usage

- Used to determine intervals containing roots without explicitly solving the equation.

Question 1

The set of all real values of $$\lambda$$ for which the quadratic equation $$(\lambda^2 + 1)x^2 - 4\lambda x + 2 = 0$$ always have exactly one root in the interval (0, 1) is:

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