A quadratic in standard form is a perfect square trinomial set equal to 0. How many solutions has it?
AJust one solution
BJust two solutions
CJust four solutions
DIt has no solution
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: A. Just one solution
1. A perfect square trinomial factors as a single bracket squared.
2. Running the quadratic formula on such an equation makes the expression under the square root simplify to 0.
3. Adding 0 and subtracting 0 give the same value, so both branches of the formula land on one number.
4. So an equation of that shape has just one solution, which is what a discriminant of 0 always signals.
_Source: OpenStax Intermediate Algebra (CC BY 4.0), section 9.3 Solve Quadratic Equations Using the Quadratic Formula_
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