If <span class="math-inline" data-latex-source="2x^2+3x+1=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><mn>2</mn><msup><mi>x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mn>3</mn><mi>x</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>=</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">2x^2+3x+1=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">2</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">3</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">1</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="12y^2+7y+1=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><mn>12</mn><msup><mi>y</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mn>7</mn><mi>y</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>=</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">12y^2+7y+1=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">12</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">7</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">1</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="2x^2+3x+1=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><mn>2</mn><msup><mi>x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mn>3</mn><mi>x</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>=</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">2x^2+3x+1=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">2</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">3</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">1</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="12y^2+7y+1=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><mn>12</mn><msup><mi>y</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mn>7</mn><mi>y</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>=</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">12y^2+7y+1=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">12</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">7</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">1</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 — Correct answer

$x<y$

Correct choice.

Option C

$x=y$

Option D

No fixed relation

Explanation

For the first equation, the roots are $-1$ and $-\frac12$. For the second equation, the roots are $-\frac13$ and $-\frac14$. Since both $y$ values are greater than both $x$ values, we get $x<y$ always.

Chapter Mock 14: Inequality