That's Integral not Real!

Algebra Level 4

Find sum of all the integral values of a for which the quadratic equation (x-a)(x-10) + 1 = 0 has integral roots.


The answer is 20.

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1 solution

Simplifying the given expression we get,

x 2 ( a + 10 ) x + 10 a + 1 = 0 x^2 - (a+10)x + 10a +1 = 0

x = ( a + 10 ) ± ( a + 10 ) 2 4 ( 10 a + 1 ) 2 \Rightarrow x = \dfrac{(a+10) \pm \sqrt{(a+10)^2 - 4(10a+1)}}{2}

x = ( a + 10 ) ± a 2 20 a + 96 2 \Rightarrow x = \dfrac{(a+10) \pm \sqrt{a^2 -20a + 96}}{2}

x = ( a + 10 ) ± ( a 8 ) ( a 12 ) 2 \Rightarrow x = \dfrac{(a+10)\pm \sqrt{(a-8)(a-12)}}{2}

Let a 12 = t a-12 =t , then,

( a 12 ) ( a 8 ) = t ( t + 4 ) = t 2 + 4 t (a-12)(a-8) = t(t+4) = t^2 + 4t which is not a perfect for any t Z { 0 } t \in \mathbb{Z} - \{0\} .

Hence the only chance that the roots could be integral is when D = 0 D = 0

( a 12 ) ( a 8 ) = 0 a = 12 , 8 (a-12)(a-8) = 0 \Rightarrow a = 12,8

x = ( a + 10 ) 2 x = \dfrac{(a+10)}{2} which is integral for a = 12 , 8 a=12 , 8

Sum of values of a a is 20 \boxed{20} .

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