MHB ACT Problem: Finding The x-Intercept Of Given Line

  • Thread starter Thread starter 816318
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Act Line
AI Thread Summary
The x-intercept of the graph of the function y = x² – 4x + 4 is found by setting y to zero and solving the equation x² - 4x + 4 = 0. This can be accomplished using the quadratic formula or by factoring, resulting in the factored form (x - 2)² = 0. The solution indicates a repeated root at x = 2, meaning the graph touches the x-axis at this point without crossing it. Both methods confirm that the x-intercept is at the coordinate (2, 0). The discussion emphasizes the effectiveness of both the quadratic formula and factoring in determining the x-intercept.
816318
Messages
14
Reaction score
0
What is the x-intercept of the graph of y = x2 – 4x + 4?

How would you foil this?
 
Mathematics news on Phys.org
Re: ACT problem

To find the x intercept of the graph of the function $y = x^2 – 4x + 4$

We may either use the completing the square method or we may use the formula $x=\frac{-b}{2a}$

The easiest way is to use $x=\frac{-b}{2a}$

From $y = x^2 – 4x + 4$ which is in the form of $ax^2+bx+c$ we can find the values for $b$ and $a$ as $b=-4$ & $a=1$

$-b$ in the formula stands for the opposite of the value of $b$ in the above form.

$x=\frac{-(-4)}{2*1}$
$x=\frac{4}{2}$
$x=2$

using complete the square method to form the graph of the function of the form $y=\pm(x+b)^2+c$ or the vertex form

$y= (x^2 – 4x+(\frac{b}{2})^2 ) + 4 - (\frac{b}{2})^2 ) $
$ y=(x^2 – 4x+(\frac{-4}{2})^2 ) + 4 - (\frac{-4}{2})^2 ) $
$ y=(x^2 – 4x+4 ) + 4 - 4 $
$y=(x-2)^2$

which now the x means -b which is 2.

Now it can be seen using Desmos one $x$ intercept of both the forms is $(2,0)$

[graph]gf10si3evs[/graph]
 
Last edited:
Re: ACT problem

816318 said:
What is the x-intercept of the graph of y = x2 – 4x + 4?

How would you foil this?

To find the $x$-intercept, we can set $y=0$ and solve for $x$:

$$x^2-4x+4=0$$

To factor, we need to look for two factors of 4 whose sum is -4, and we find:

$$(-2)(-2)=4$$

$$(-2)+(-2)=-4$$

Thus, the factored form is:

$$(x-2)(x-2)=0$$

or:

$$(x-2)^2=0$$

We have a repeated root, of multiplicity 2. Since the multiplicity is even, we know the graph will touch the $x$-axis without passing through it. Equating this factor to zero, we find:

$$x-2=0$$

$$x=2$$

Thus, we know the given graph has one $x$-intercept at $(2,0)$.
 
Re: ACT problem

$$x^2-4x+4=x^2-2x-2x+4=x(x-2)-2(x-2)=(x-2)(x-2)=0\implies x=2$$
 
Seemingly by some mathematical coincidence, a hexagon of sides 2,2,7,7, 11, and 11 can be inscribed in a circle of radius 7. The other day I saw a math problem on line, which they said came from a Polish Olympiad, where you compute the length x of the 3rd side which is the same as the radius, so that the sides of length 2,x, and 11 are inscribed on the arc of a semi-circle. The law of cosines applied twice gives the answer for x of exactly 7, but the arithmetic is so complex that the...
Is it possible to arrange six pencils such that each one touches the other five? If so, how? This is an adaption of a Martin Gardner puzzle only I changed it from cigarettes to pencils and left out the clues because PF folks don’t need clues. From the book “My Best Mathematical and Logic Puzzles”. Dover, 1994.
Thread 'Imaginary Pythagoras'
I posted this in the Lame Math thread, but it's got me thinking. Is there any validity to this? Or is it really just a mathematical trick? Naively, I see that i2 + plus 12 does equal zero2. But does this have a meaning? I know one can treat the imaginary number line as just another axis like the reals, but does that mean this does represent a triangle in the complex plane with a hypotenuse of length zero? Ibix offered a rendering of the diagram using what I assume is matrix* notation...
Back
Top