what is the value of the discriminant in the equation shown below? x^2-6x+4=0

Question

anonymous · Answer

36-16=20

anonymous · Answer

how did you get that?

amistre64 · Answer

what is a discriminate?

anonymous · Answer

The term underneath the radical in the quadratic equation

amistre64 · Answer

good; and what is the general set up for that term?

amistre64 · Answer

by general i mean the "letter" version

anonymous · Answer

square root of b^2-4ac...?

amistre64 · Answer

yep; but we can omit the square root symbol ...

amistre64 · Answer

b^2 - 4ac would be good

amistre64 · Answer

what is the general set up for any given quadratic equation?

anonymous · Answer

x=-b+or - square root of b^2-4ac/2a

amistre64 · Answer

.... thats good, not quite what i had in mind, but good :)

the general set up of a quadratic equation is: ax^2 +bx + c
the specific set up for this equation is:             x^2  -6x +4

from this; what do we determine a b and c to be?

amistre64 · Answer

maybe this might be easier to relate them

[a] x^2 [+b] x  [+c]
[1] x^2 [-6] x  [+4]

anonymous · Answer

so that is how hashir got 36-16=20

amistre64 · Answer

yes :)

(-6)^2 -4(1)(4)

36 - 4(4)

36 - 16