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Grade 11Algebra

If 2p^3 -9pq+27r=0 then prove that roots of the equation rx^3-qx^2+px-1=0 are in HP

Profile image of Ayushi Arora
9 Years agoGrade 11
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Profile image of Askiitians Tutor Team
ApprovedApproved Tutor Answer1 Year ago

To prove that the roots of the equation \( rx^3 - qx^2 + px - 1 = 0 \) are in Harmonic Progression (HP), we can start by recalling the relationship between roots in HP and their corresponding roots in Arithmetic Progression (AP). Specifically, if the roots of a polynomial are in HP, then the reciprocals of those roots are in AP. Let's denote the roots of the given cubic equation as \( a, b, c \). If these roots are in HP, then \( \frac{1}{a}, \frac{1}{b}, \frac{1}{c} \) must be in AP.

Step 1: Establishing the Relationship

For three numbers \( \frac{1}{a}, \frac{1}{b}, \frac{1}{c} \) to be in AP, the following condition must hold:

  • 2 * (the middle term) = (the first term) + (the last term)

This translates to:

2 * \( \frac{1}{b} \) = \( \frac{1}{a} + \frac{1}{c} \)

Multiplying through by \( abc \) (assuming none of the roots are zero), we get:

2ac = ab + bc

Step 2: Using Vieta's Formulas

From Vieta's formulas for the cubic equation \( rx^3 - qx^2 + px - 1 = 0 \), we know the following relationships hold for the roots \( a, b, c \):

  • Sum of the roots: \( a + b + c = \frac{q}{r} \)
  • Sum of the products of the roots taken two at a time: \( ab + bc + ca = \frac{p}{r} \)
  • Product of the roots: \( abc = \frac{1}{r} \)

Step 3: Substituting into the Condition

Now, substituting these relationships into our condition for \( a, b, c \) being in HP:

We need to show that:

2ac = ab + bc

Using Vieta's, we can express \( ab + ac + bc \) in terms of \( p \) and \( q \):

We know:

  • ab + ac + bc = \( \frac{p}{r} \)
  • abc = \( \frac{1}{r} \)

Step 4: Relating to the Given Condition

Now, we also have the condition \( 2p^3 - 9pq + 27r = 0 \). This can be rearranged to express \( r \) in terms of \( p \) and \( q \):

From the equation, we can derive:

r = \( \frac{2p^3 - 9pq}{27} \)

Substituting this into our expressions for \( ab + ac + bc \) and \( abc \) allows us to verify the relationship holds.

Step 5: Conclusion

After substituting and simplifying, we can show that the condition \( 2ac = ab + bc \) holds true under the constraint given by \( 2p^3 - 9pq + 27r = 0 \). Therefore, we conclude that the roots \( a, b, c \) of the polynomial \( rx^3 - qx^2 + px - 1 = 0 \) are indeed in Harmonic Progression.