If <span class="math-inline" data-latex-source="x^2-7x+10=0" data-display-mode="false" contenteditable="false"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>−</mo><mn>7</mn><mi>x</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>10</mn><mo>=</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">x^2-7x+10=0</annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8974em;vertical-align:-0.0833em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">x</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8141em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">−</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7278em;vertical-align:-0.0833em;"></span><span class="mord">7</span><span class="mord mathnormal">x</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">+</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.6444em;"></span><span class="mord">10</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.6444em;"></span><span class="mord">0</span></span></span></span></span> and <span class="math-inline" data-latex-source="y^2-5y+6=0" data-display-mode="false" contenteditable="false"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>y</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>−</mo><mn>5</mn><mi>y</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>6</mn><mo>=</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">y^2-5y+6=0</annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.0085em;vertical-align:-0.1944em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">y</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8141em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">−</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8389em;vertical-align:-0.1944em;"></span><span class="mord">5</span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">y</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">+</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.6444em;"></span><span class="mord">6</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.6444em;"></span><span class="mord">0</span></span></span></span></span>, then which relation always holds?

Question

If <span class="math-inline" data-latex-source="x^2-7x+10=0" data-display-mode="false" contenteditable="false"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>−</mo><mn>7</mn><mi>x</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>10</mn><mo>=</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">x^2-7x+10=0</annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8974em;vertical-align:-0.0833em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">x</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8141em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">−</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7278em;vertical-align:-0.0833em;"></span><span class="mord">7</span><span class="mord mathnormal">x</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">+</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.6444em;"></span><span class="mord">10</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.6444em;"></span><span class="mord">0</span></span></span></span></span> and <span class="math-inline" data-latex-source="y^2-5y+6=0" data-display-mode="false" contenteditable="false"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>y</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>−</mo><mn>5</mn><mi>y</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>6</mn><mo>=</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">y^2-5y+6=0</annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.0085em;vertical-align:-0.1944em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">y</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8141em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">−</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8389em;vertical-align:-0.1944em;"></span><span class="mord">5</span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">y</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">+</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.6444em;"></span><span class="mord">6</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.6444em;"></span><span class="mord">0</span></span></span></span></span>, then which relation always holds?

Option A

$x>y$

Option B

$x<y$

Option C

$x=y$

Option D — Correct answer

No fixed relation

Correct choice.

Explanation

Possible $x$ values are $2$ and $5$, while possible $y$ values are $2$ and $3$. Since equality is possible at $2$ but $x$ can also exceed $y$, no single strict relation is always true.

Chapter Mock 14: Inequality