01 Which quadratic equation has roots x = 1 and x = 4?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. x² − 5x + 4 = 0
Explanation: The governing concept is formation of a quadratic equation from its roots. If the roots are α and β, a monic quadratic equation with those roots is (x − α)(x − β) = 0. Here α = 1 and β = 4, so form the factors (x − 1) and (x − 4). Multiplying gives x² − 4x − x + 4 = x² − 5x + 4. Therefore the required equation is x² − 5x + 4 = 0, which is option A. Its root sum is 5 and its root product is 4, agreeing with 1+4 and 1×4. The remaining options have different signs or interchange coefficients and do not produce both required roots.