Why are the roots of \(\displaystyle{y}^{{2}}-{i}{y}+{2}={0}\) not

chatarazona7sq

chatarazona7sq

Answered question

2022-03-11

Why are the roots of y2iy+2=0 not complex conjugates?

Answer & Explanation

champe547

champe547

Beginner2022-03-12Added 3 answers

The 'conjugates rule' only applies when the coefficients of the quadratic are real. Say the roots of a quadratic f(z) are α=a+bi and β=c+di. Then, by the factor theorem, the factorisation of f(z) must be
(zα)(zβ)=(z2(α+β)z+αβ),.
This means that in order for f(z) to have real coefficients,
α+βR  and  αβR,.
The only time this is true when α and β are both real, or when α and β form a complex conjugate pair; it is a good exercise to verify this. Otherwise, f(z) would have non-real coefficients, and there would be no requirement that its roots form a complex conjugate pair. I can easily think up a quadratic where the roots don't form a complex conjugate pair. For example, α=5+7i and β=2+3i gives the equation
z2(7+10i)z+(11+29i)=0,.
Throughout this answer, I assume that the leading coefficient of the quadratic is 1. However, this is okay, because any quadratic equation of the form
az2+bz+c=0
can be turned into
z2+Bz+C=0
if we divide through by a.
RI5N6mv3

RI5N6mv3

Beginner2022-03-13Added 4 answers

For a degree-n polynomial function p(z)=i=0npizi with pn0, define p(z)=ipizi, which is the same polynomial iff each pi is real. Then
p(z)=ipizi=(p(z)), and p(z)=0p(z)=0. The complex-conjugates rule for polynomials with real coefficients is a special case of this.

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