山屹挖掘机

A discriminant in mathematics refers to the expression inside the square root in the quadratic formula. It is used to determine the nature of the roots of a quadratic equation. For a quadratic equation of the form ax^2 + bx + c = 0, the discriminant is given by b^2 - 4ac. The discriminant can have three possible values:1. If the discriminant is positive (greater than 0), then the quadratic equation has two distinct real roots. This means that the graph of the quadratic equation will intersect the x-axis at two different points.2. If the discriminant is zero, then the quadratic equation has one real root. This means that the graph of the quadratic equation will touch the x-axis at exactly one point.3. If the discriminant is negative (less than 0), then the quadratic equation has no real roots. This means that the graph of the quadratic equation will not intersect the x-axis at any point.In summary, the discriminant helps determine the number and nature of the roots of a quadratic equation.