How to find the discriminant of a quadratic function?

The discriminant of a quadratic function is a simple algebraic expression that tells you whether or not the function has a root at a particular point. If the discriminant equals zero, then the function has two roots at the given point. If the discriminant is a negative value, then the function has no roots at the given point. If the discriminant is a positive value, then the function has two distinct roots at the given point.

How to find the discriminant of a quadratic polynomial?

To find the discriminant of a quadratic polynomial, you can use the quadratic formula with the square root of the discriminant. In the following example, the discriminant is -74, so the discriminant of the quadratic polynomial is -74^2 or -1,754,576.

How to find the discriminants of quadratic equations?

The discriminant of a quadratic equation can be found by multiplying the number of solutions to the equation by its coefficient of the quadratic term. This value will equal zero if the equation has no solutions, or if it has two solutions. If the discriminant is zero, the equation has no solutions. If the discriminant is a square number, the equation has two solutions.

How to

If you look at the graph of a quadratic function you will notice that it is a perfect parabola. It has two equal-length branches, one going downward and one going upward. The discriminant is simply the difference between the maximum value of the function (the vertex of the parabola) and its minimum value.

How to find the discriminants of quadratic equations when the discriminant is zero?

Finding the discriminant of a quadratic equation when it equals zero is not as simple as it sounds. In such a case, there are two solutions possible; one is a single solution and the other is two solutions. If you are solving a quadratic equation by hand, you will need to use a calculator and look up the values of the solutions.