How do you find the discriminant and how many solutions does 9x^2-6x+1=0 have?

1 Answer
Apr 30, 2015

The equation is of the form Ax^2+Bx+C=0 where:

A=9, B=-6, C=1

Now the disciminant
D=B^2-4*A*C=
(-6)^2-4*9*1=
36-36=0

If D=0 then there is only one solution.
(for D>0 there are two solutions,
for D<0 there are no real solutions)

Extra:
The solutions are normally found by working out:

x=(-B+sqrtD)/(2*A) or x=(-B-sqrtD)/(2*A)

But since D=0 in this case it comes down to:

x=(-B)/(2*A)=(-(-6))/(2*9)=1/3

This means the graph (a 'valley'-parabola) will just touch the x-axis at the point (1/3,0)