If a parabola has its vertex at (-2, 0) and it touches the x-axis at that point, what is its zero?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: -2
The zero of a parabola is the x-coordinate where it meets the x-axis. Since the parabola meets (touches) the x-axis only at (-2,0), that x-value is the only real zero; touching means a repeated root (multiplicity 2) at x = -2. Thus the correct zero is -2. Options B and C are incorrect because their x-values do not match the given point; option D is incorrect because touching gives one repeated zero, not two distinct zeros. Exam tip: when a parabola touches the x-axis at its vertex, the x-coordinate of the vertex is the zero (a double root).
Frequently asked questions
What is the correct answer to this question?
-2
Why is this the correct answer?
The zero of a parabola is the x-coordinate where it meets the x-axis. Since the parabola meets (touches) the x-axis only at (-2,0), that x-value is the only real zero; touching means a repeated root (multiplicity 2) at x = -2. Thus the correct zero is -2. Options B and C are incorrect because their x-values do not match the given point; option D is incorrect because touching gives one repeated zero, not two distinct zeros. Exam tip: when a parabola touches the x-axis at its vertex, the x-coordinate of the vertex is the zero (a double root).
Which subject and chapter does this question cover?
This is a Class 10 Mathematics question. Chapter: Polynomials. Topic: Geometrical meaning of the zeroes of a polynomial..
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