The equation \(\frac{x}{x+1} + \frac{x}{x+2} = kx\) has exactly two different complex solutions. Find all possible complex values for \(k\).
Basically I expanded it and stuff and then made a quadratic and used the discriminant to get \((3k-2)^2-4k(2k-3) <0\). So \(k^2<-4\). But the problem wants all complex solutions so some numbers in the range apparently don't work.
To solve the equation, we first try to get rid of the denominators.
Multiplying both sides of the equation by (x+1)(x+2), we get [x^2 + 2x + x^2 + x = kx(x + 1)(x + 2).]
Expanding the right side, we get [2x^2 + 3x = kx^3 + kx^2 + 2kx.]
Moving all the terms to one side, we get [0 = kx^3 + (k - 1)x^2 + (2k - 3)x.]
Since we are looking for complex solutions, we can treat x as a complex number.
For the equation to have exactly two complex solutions, the discriminant of the quadratic part must be nonzero.
That is, [(k - 1)^2 - 4 \cdot k \cdot (2k - 3) > 0.]
Expanding, we get [k^2 - 2k + 1 - 8k^2 + 24k - 12 > 0.]
This simplifies to [-7k^2 + 22k - 11 > 0.]
We can factor this as [(k - 1)(7k - 11) > 0.]
Thus, k must be in one of the intervals (−∞,1/7)∪(11/7,∞).
Now, let's check that for these values of k, the equation has exactly two complex solutions.
For k=0, the equation becomes x+1x+x+2x=0, which has the complex solutions x=−1 and x=−2
For k=2, the equation becomes x+1x+x+2x=2x, which has the complex solutions x=0 and x=−23.
Thus, the ony possible k is 11/7.
x( x + 2) + x ( x+ 1) = kx (x + 1) (x + 2)
x^2 + 2x + x^2 + x = kx ( x^2 + 3x + 2)
2x^2 + 3x = kx^3 + 3kx^2 + 2kx
kx^3 + (3k-2)x^2 + (2k - 3)x = 0
x [ kx^2 + (3k -2)x + (2k -3) = 0
(3k - 2)^2 - 4 [k *(2k -3)] < 0
9k^2 - 12k + 4 - 8k^2 + 12k < 0
k^2 + 4 < 0
k^2 < -4
k < 2i and k > -2i
k = (-2i, 2i)