Identify When y = -x² - 2x - 3 Surpasses Zero: Solving the Quadratic Inequality
Question
Look at the following function:
y=−x2−2x−3
Determine for which values of x the following is true:
f\left(x\right)>0
Step-by-Step Solution
To solve this problem, follow these steps:
Step 1: Find the roots of the function using the quadratic formula. The equation to solve is −x2−2x−3=0.
Step 2: The quadratic formula gives x=2a−b±b2−4ac. For our function, a=−1, b=−2, and c=−3.
Step 3: Calculate the discriminant: b2−4ac=(−2)2−4(−1)(−3)=4−12=−8.
Step 4: Since the discriminant is negative, there are no real roots. Therefore, f(x) never crosses the x-axis and has no real x-intercepts.
Step 5: Understand the graph behavior: since the parabola opens downward and the vertex is its maximum point without crossing the x-axis, the function is negative for all real x.
Therefore, the solution to the problem is that the function has no positive domain.