Question

Let $$a, b, c$$  be real numbers, $$a \ne 0.$$  If $$\alpha $$ is a root of $${a^2}{x^2} + bx + c = 0.\,\,\beta $$     is the root of $${a^2}{x^2} - bx - c = 0$$    and $$0 < \alpha < \beta ,$$   then the equation $${a^2}{x^2} + 2bx + 2c = 0$$     has a root $$\gamma $$ that always satisfies

A. $$\gamma = \frac{{\alpha + \beta }}{2}$$
B. $$\gamma = \alpha + \frac{\beta }{2}$$
C. $$\gamma = \alpha $$
D. $$\alpha < \gamma < \beta $$  
Answer :   $$\alpha < \gamma < \beta $$
Solution :
KEY CONCEPT:
If $$f\left( \alpha \right)$$ and $$f\left( \beta \right)$$ are of opposite signs then there must lie a value $$\gamma $$ between $$\alpha $$ and $$\beta $$ such that $$f\left( \gamma \right) = 0.$$
$$a,b,c$$   are real numbers and $$a \ne 0.$$
$$\eqalign{ & {\text{As }}\,\alpha \,\,{\text{is a root of }}\,{a^2}{x^2} + bx + c = 0 \cr & \therefore \,\,{a^2}{\alpha ^2} + b\alpha + c = 0\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,.....\left( 1 \right) \cr & {\text{Also }}\beta \,{\text{ is root of }}\,{a^2}{x^2} - bx - c = 0 \cr & \therefore \,\,{a^2}{\beta ^2} - b\beta - c = 0\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,.....\left( 2 \right) \cr & {\text{Now, let}}\,\,f\left( x \right) = {a^2}{x^2} + 2bx + 2c \cr & {\text{Then}}\,\,f\left( \alpha \right) = {a^2}{\alpha ^2} + 2b\alpha + 2c \cr & = {a^2}{\alpha ^2} + 2\left( {b\alpha + c} \right) \cr & = {a^2}{\alpha ^2} + 2\left( { - {a^2}{\alpha ^2}} \right)\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\left[ {{\text{Using eq}}{\text{.}}\left( 1 \right)} \right] \cr & = - {a^2}{\alpha ^2}. \cr & {\text{and }}\,f\left( \beta \right) = {a^2}{\beta ^2} + 2b\beta + 2c \cr & = {a^2}{\beta ^2} + 2\left( {b\beta + c} \right) \cr & = {a^2}{\beta ^2} + 2\left( {{a^2}{\beta ^2}} \right)\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\left[ {{\text{Using eq}}{\text{.}}\left( 2 \right)} \right] \cr & = 3{a^2}{\beta ^2} > 0. \cr & {\text{Since }}\,f\left( \alpha \right)\,{\text{and }}f\left( \beta \right)\,{\text{are of opposite signs and }}\gamma {\text{ is a root}} \cr & {\text{of equation }}\,f\left( x \right) = 0 \cr & \therefore \,\,\gamma \,\,{\text{must lie between }}\alpha \,\,{\text{and}}\,\,\beta \cr & {\text{Thus }}\alpha < \gamma < \beta . \cr & \therefore \,\,\,\left( {\text{D}} \right){\text{is the correct option}}{\text{.}} \cr} $$

Releted MCQ Question on
Algebra >> Quadratic Equation

Releted Question 1

If $$\ell ,m,n$$  are real, $$\ell \ne m,$$  then the roots by the equation: $$\left( {\ell - m} \right){x^2} - 5\left( {\ell + m} \right)x - 2\left( {\ell - m} \right) = 0$$         are

A. Real and equal
B. Complex
C. Real and unequal
D. None of these
Releted Question 2

The equation $$x + 2y + 2z = 1{\text{ and }}2x + 4y + 4z = 9{\text{ have}}$$

A. Only one solution
B. Only two solutions
C. Infinite number of solutions
D. None of these
Releted Question 3

Let $$a > 0, b > 0$$    and $$c > 0$$ . Then the roots of the equation $$a{x^2} + bx + c = 0$$

A. are real and negative
B. have negative real parts
C. both (A) and (B)
D. none of these
Releted Question 4

Both the roots of the equation $$\left( {x - b} \right)\left( {x - c} \right) + \left( {x - a} \right)\left( {x - c} \right) + \left( {x - a} \right)\left( {x - b} \right) = 0$$           are always

A. positive
B. real
C. negative
D. none of these.

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Quadratic Equation


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