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jmc

algebra senior

Problem

The solution to the inequality is Find
Solution
If the quadratic has no real roots, then for all which means the given inequality is equivalent to and the solution is The solution given in the problem is not of this form, so the quadratic must have real roots, say and where

Then and the inequality becomes This inequality is satisfied for sufficiently low values of but is not satisfied for which tells us that The inequality is now The inequality is then satisfied for which tells us Then the inequality is not satisfied for which tells us Thus, the inequality is so
Final answer
-4