Consider the quadratic equation . The discriminant is __________.
Answer & Analysis
Analysis
Question Analysis
This question evaluates the student's ability to calculate the discriminant and use it to determine the nature of the roots of a quadratic equation.
Key Concept Explanation
The discriminant, , helps in determining the nature of the roots of a quadratic equation. If , there are two distinct real roots; if , there is one real root (a repeated root); if , there are two complex conjugate roots.