The quadratic equation p(x) = 0 with real coefficients has purely imag...
Given Information:
The quadratic equation p(x) = 0 with real coefficients has purely imaginary roots.
To Find:
The nature of the roots of the equation p(p(x)) = 0.
Solution:
Understanding the Given Information:
The given quadratic equation p(x) = 0 has purely imaginary roots. This means that the solutions of the equation are complex numbers of the form ai, where a is a non-zero real number and i is the imaginary unit.
Understanding the Equation p(p(x)) = 0:
We need to find the nature of the roots of the equation p(p(x)) = 0. To do this, we substitute p(x) into the equation:
p(p(x)) = 0
Replacing p(x) with its roots, which are purely imaginary:
p(ai) = 0
Now, we need to find the value of p(ai).
Using the Given Information:
Let's assume the quadratic equation p(x) = 0 to be:
p(x) = ax^2 + bx + c
Since the roots of p(x) = 0 are purely imaginary, they can be written as:
x = ai and x = -ai
Substituting these values in the equation p(x) = 0:
p(ai) = a(ai)^2 + b(ai) + c = 0
p(-ai) = a(-ai)^2 + b(-ai) + c = 0
Using the Fact that p(x) has Real Coefficients:
Since p(x) has real coefficients, the imaginary terms in the above equations should cancel out, resulting in a real number:
a(-a)(i)^2 + b(-a)i + c = 0
a(-a)(-1) + b(-a)i + c = 0
a^2 + c - abi = 0
This implies that the coefficient of the imaginary term should be zero:
abi = 0
Since a is non-zero, this equation implies that b = 0.
Substituting the Value of b = 0:
Substituting b = 0 in the equation p(ai) = a^2 + c - abi:
p(ai) = a^2 + c = 0
This means that the value of c is equal to -a^2.
So, the quadratic equation p(x) = 0 can be written as:
p(x) = ax^2 - a^2 = a(x - a)(x + a) = 0
Understanding the Nature of the Roots of p(p(x)) = 0:
Now, let's analyze the equation p(p(x)) = 0. Substituting p(x) = a(x - a)(x + a) into the equation: