I'm working on Exercise 2.5 in http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/electrical-engineering-and-computer-science/6-189-a-gentle-introduction-to-programming-using-python-january-iap-2011/assignments/MIT6_189IAP11_hw2.pdf

Sadly, my math skills have atrophied. I'm supposed to write a function that computes the roots of a quadratic. I looked it on Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quadratic_equation#Quadratic_formula

But I'm also supposed to check for complex roots. How do I do that? What I have so far at https://gist.github.com/3845296

Also, anyone have test cases with answers?

Question

I'm working on Exercise 2.5 in http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/electrical-engineering-and-computer-science/6-189-a-gentle-introduction-to-programming-using-python-january-iap-2011/assignments/MIT6_189IAP11_hw2.pdf

Sadly, my math skills have atrophied. I'm supposed to write a function that computes the roots of a quadratic. I looked it on Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quadratic_equation#Quadratic_formula

But I'm also supposed to check for complex roots. How do I do that? What I have so far at https://gist.github.com/3845296

Also, anyone have test cases with answers?

anonymous · Answer

U know the b^2 -4ac bit of the quadratic?

If that is less than 0, then the roots are complex.