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When no root is found – HP 15c User Manual

Page 186

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186 Section 13: Finding the Roots of an Equation

Fahr's ridget falls to the ground
9.2843 seconds after he hurls it—a
remarkable toss.

When No Root Is Found

You have seen how the _ key estimates and displays a root of an
equation of the form f(x) = 0. However, it is possible that an equation has no
real roots (that is, there is no real value of x for which the equality is true).
Of course, you would not expect the calculator to find a root in this case.
Instead, it displays

Error 8

.

Example: Consider the equation

|x| = – 1.

which has no solution since the absolute
value function is never negative. Express
this equation in the required form

|x| + 1 = 0

and attempt to use _ to find a
solution.

G
r
G

Keystrokes

Display

| ¥

000–

Program mode.

´b 1

001–42,21, 1

| a

002– 43 16

1

003– 1

+

004– 40

| n

005– 43 32