Finding Where x² - 4x + 5 > 0: Solving the Quadratic Inequality

Question

Look at the following function:

y=x24x+5 y=x^2-4x+5

Determine for which values of x x the following is true:

f\left(x\right)>0

Step-by-Step Solution

The given function is y=x24x+5 y = x^2 - 4x + 5 . To find where this function is positive, we'll first analyze the properties of this quadratic.

Let's start by completing the square. We have:

y=x24x+5 y = x^2 - 4x + 5

To complete the square, take the coefficient of x x , which is 4-4, halve it to get 2-2, and then square it to get 44. Add and subtract this inside the expression:

y=(x24x+4)+1=(x2)2+1 y = (x^2 - 4x + 4) + 1 = (x-2)^2 + 1

Now, the expression is in vertex form y=(x2)2+1 y = (x-2)^2 + 1 , which indicates a parabola with a vertex at (2,1) (2, 1) and opens upwards. The vertex is the minimum point of the function.

Since the minimum value of y y is 1 (when x=2 x = 2 ), and the parabola opens upwards, the function is positive for all real x x , because (x2)20 (x-2)^2 \geq 0 for any real number x x , making (x2)2+1>0 (x-2)^2 + 1 > 0 .

Therefore, the answer is that the function is positive for all values of x x .

In conclusion, the correct choice is:

The function is positive for all values of x x .

Answer

The function is positive for all values of x x .