Lang, Serge − Basic Mathematics. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company Inc. 1st ed., 1971.

COMPLETE ANSWER KEY

T HIS PUBLICATION IS NEITHER OFFICIAL NOR AUTHORIZED .

This is a Complete Answer Key for the book Basic Mathematics by Serge Lang.
It was created with the sole purpose of helping students find a more or
less reliable source for solutions to the exercises proposed in the book.
NO FINANCIAL GAIN IS INTENDED HERE .

Created by Renato de Melo.

Email: renatodemelo1958@gmail.com.
Last modified: 2023-12-14

Part One ALGEBRA

4 Quadratic Equations
A NSWERS TO S ELECTED E XERCISES
[The exercises with numbers in bold show answers to the 'selected
exercises' from the book itself; the others show my own answers.]

EXERCISES pg 088 (104)

Solve the following equations. If there is no solution in the real numbers,
say so and give your reasons why. In each case, however, give the values for x
which would solve the equation in a larger system of numbers where negative
numbers have a “square root”. Use the formula.
2
1. x + 3x − 2 = 0

x =
−3 ± √ 32 − 4•1 • (− 2 )
=
−3 ± √9 + 8
=
−3 ± √ 17
2•1 2 2

x =
−3 + √ 17 or x =
−3 − √ 17
2 2
2
2. x − 3x − 2 = 0

x =
− (− 3) ± √( − 3 ) 2 − 4 • 1 • (− 2 )
=
3 ± √9 + 8
=
3 ± √ 17
2 • 1 2 2

x =
3 + √ 17 ot x =
3 − √ 17
2 2
2
3. x − 4x + 5 = 0

x =
− (− 4) ± √( − 4 ) 2 − 4 • 1 • 5
=
4 ± √ 16 − 20
=
4 ± √ −4
2•1 2 2

x =
4 + √ −4
or x =
4 − √ −4
2 2
There is no solution in the set of real numbers because the
2
square root of b − 4ac in [ ( 4 ± √ − 4 ) / 2 ] is negative.

Chapter 4 Page 1 out of 4

 Lang, Serge − Basic Mathematics. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company Inc. 1st ed., 1971. COMPLETE ANSWER KEY

2
4. x − 4x − 5 = 0

x =
− (− 4) ± √( − 4 ) 2 − 4 • 1 • (− 5 )
2 • 1

=
4 ± √ 16 + 20
=
4 ± √ 36 =
4 ± 6
2 2 2
x = 5 or x = −1
2
5. 3x + 2x − 1 = 0

x =
−2 ± √ 22 − 4•3 • (− 1 )
2•3

=
−2 ± √4 + 12
=
−2 ± √ 16 =
−2 ± 4
6 6 6
1
x = or x = −1
3
2
6. 3x − 4x + 1 = 0

x =
− (− 4) ± √( − 4 ) 2 − 4 • 3 • 1
2•3

=
4 ± √ 16 − 12
=
4 ± √4
=
4 ± 2
6 6 6
1
x = 1 or x =
3
2
7. 3x + 3x − 4 = 0

x =
−3 ± √ 32 − 4•3 • (− 4 )
=
−3 ± √9 + 48
=
−3 ± √ 57
2•3 6 6

x =
−3 + √ 57 or x =
−3 − √ 57
6 6
2 2 2
8. − 2x − 5x = 7 ⇔ − 2x − 5x − 7 = 0 ⇔ 2x + 5x + 7 = 0

x =
−5 ± √ 52 − 4•2 • 7
=
−5 ± √ 25 − 56
=
−5 ± √ − 31
2•2 4 4

x =
−5 + √ − 31 or x =
−5 − √ − 31
4 4
There is no solution in the set of real numbers because the
2
square root of b − 4ac in [ ( − 5 ± √ − 31 ) / 4 ] is negative.

Chapter 4 Page 2 out of 4

 Lang, Serge − Basic Mathematics. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company Inc. 1st ed., 1971. COMPLETE ANSWER KEY

2 2 2
9. − 2x − 5x = − 7 ⇔ − 2x − 5x + 7 = 0 ⇔ 2x + 5x − 7 = 0

x =
−5 ± √ 52 − 4•2 • (− 7 )
2•2

=
−5 ± √ 25 + 56
=
−5 ± √ 81 =
−5 ± 9
4 4 4
7
x = 1 or x = −
2
2 2
10. 4x + 5x = 6 ⇔ 4x + 5x − 6 = 0

x =
−5 ± √ 52 − 4•4 • (− 6 )
2•4

=
−5 ± √ 25 + 96
=
− 5 ± √ 121
=
− 5 ± 11
8 8 8
3
x = or x = −2
4
2
11. x − √2 x + 1 = 0

x =
− (− √ 2 ) ± √( − √ 2 )2 − 4 • 1 • 1
2•1

=
√2 ± √2 − 4
=
√2 ± √ −2
2 2

x =
√2 + √ −2
or x =
√2 − √−2
2 2
There is no solution in the set of real numbers because the
2
square root of b − 4ac in [ ( √ 2 ± √ − 2 ) / 2 ] is negative.
2
12. x + √2 x − 1 = 0

x =
−√2 ± √( √ 2 )2 − 4 • 1 • (− 1 )
2•1
−√2 ± √2 + 4 −√2 ± √6
= =
2 2
−√2 + √6 −√2 − √6
x = or x =
2 2
2
13. x + 3x − √2 = 0

x =
−3 ± √ 32 − 4 • 1 • (− √ 2 )
=
−3 ± √9 + 4 √2
2•1 2

Chapter 4 Page 3 out of 4

 Lang, Serge − Basic Mathematics. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company Inc. 1st ed., 1971. COMPLETE ANSWER KEY

x =
−3 + √9 + 4 √2 or x =
−3 − √9 + 4 √2
2 2
2
14. x − 3x − √5 = 0

x =
−(− 3) ± √( − 3 ) 2
− 4 • 1 • (− √ 5 )
=
3 ± √9 + 4 √5
2•1 2

x =
3 + √9 + 4 √5 or x =
3 − √9 + 4 √5
2 2
2
15. x − 3x + √5 = 0

x =
−(− 3) ± √( − 3 ) 2 − 4•1• √5 =
3 ± √9 − 4 √5
2•1 2
As √ 5 ≅ 2.23606797..., then 4 √ 5 ≅ 8.94427188... , which
is lower than 9, and the difference is positive; therefore, there
are two solutions, namely

x =
3 + √9 − 4 √5 or x =
3 − √9 − 4 √5
2 2
2
16. x − 2x − √3 = 0

x =
−(− 2) ± √( − 2 ) 2 − 4 • 1 • (− √ 3 )
2•1

=
2 ± √4 + 4 √3 =
2 ± √4(1 + √3 )
2 2
2 ± 2 √1 + √3
=
2
= 1 ± √1 + √3
x = 1 + √1 + √3 or x = 1 − √1 + √3

Chapter 4 Page 4 out of 4