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sssona09

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The equation x^4 -5x^3 -9x^2 +ax +b =0 has a triple root. Find a and b and hence all roots of this equation.
 

fan96

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This is a fourth degree polynomial, so it has four roots. Three of those are identical, so there is only one other unique root.

Firstly, express the polynomial as a product of its factors.

(note that the polynomial is monic, so we may write instead of )



Because these two expressions are identically equal, you may differentiate both sides.
 
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sssona09

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This is a fourth degree polynomial, so it has four roots. Three of those are identical, so there is only one other unique root.

Firstly, express the polynomial as a product of its factors.

(note that the polynomial is monic, so we may write instead of )



Because these two expressions are identically equal, you may differentiate both sides.
I differentiate both sides and apply P'(x)=P''(x)=0 ?
 

fan96

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Here's another way to do it.



Taking the second derivative of both sides (this is easy for the RHS if you keep factoring out )



Factorising the LHS,



Equating both sides gives us .
____________________________________________________________

Substituting back into the original, we get



Solving,
____________________________________________________________

Alternatively, because this is a monic polynomial, the constant is the product of all the roots, so

We can then solve for simply by substituting into the original polynomial

 
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darkk_blu

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I'm pretty sure we can't find differentiate it 2 times since that's a 4U theorem, especially since this is a 3U question, markers may not acknowledge it. It may be faster but I wouldn't risk it. I'll try work out something that doesn't involve that
 

darkk_blu

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FINALLY, TOOK ME FOREVER



Sum of roots:



Sum of pairs:



Since the polynomial is monic and we are given it has a triple root



Therefore we can make two new equations:



Substitute and expand:



Factorising:



Check:



Therefore, false



Therefore,

Sum of triplets:



Product of roots:

 
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fan96

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I'm pretty sure we can't find differentiate it 2 times since that's a 4U theorem, especially since this is a 3U question, markers may not acknowledge it. It may be faster but I wouldn't risk it. I'll try work out something that doesn't involve that
You mean the multiple root theorem?

It's related to my method (from the observation that the triple root remains a root of the second derivative), but the theorem itself isn't actually being used at all. It's only differentiation by the product rule and equating identities. Both of those are 2U methods, just applied at a higher level.

Also, as a side note I've heard that 4U content is accepted in 3U for full marks (and vice versa for 3U and 2U), but the only caveat is that an error means a zero, since the working out is not "valid". If you prove the content before using it I think it's okay though.
 
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fan96

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I made an error on this line.



Swapping around the factors on the RHS actually yields another solution:









Since the question didn't say that the coefficients had to be integers, this is also a valid solution. Very interesting... I didn't consider the possibility that two sets of solutions existed.
 
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darkk_blu

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I made an error on this line.



Swapping around the factors on the RHS actually yields another solution:









Since the question didn't say that the coefficients had to be integers, this is also a valid solution. Very interesting... I didn't consider the possibility that two sets of solutions existed.
Yeah man, I thought there was only one solution because the question subtly implied it, I got two solutions then looked at everyone else’s and was like, yeah, I’m probably being dumb so I also took one solution, I happened to be rethinking about the question after school so I brought it up again. lol sorry
 

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