<s>[INST] Find $a$ such that ${x_1}^2+{x_2}^2$ takes the minimal value where $x_1, x_2$ are solutions to $x^2-ax+(a-1)=0$ DO NOT USE CALCULUS My thinking:
Let $x_1 = \frac{a+\sqrt{a^2-4a+4}}{2}$ and $x_2 = \frac{a-\sqrt{a^2-4a+4}}{2}$
By the AGM (Arithmetic-Geometric Mean Inequality):
We have
$x_1\cdot x_2\le \left(\frac{x_1\cdot \:x_2}{2}\right)^2$
$=\:x_1\cdot \:x_2\le \:\frac{\left(x_1\cdot \:\:x_2\right)^2}{4}\:$
$=\:\:x_1\cdot \:\:x_2\le \:\:\frac{{x_1}^2+2x_1x_2+{x_2}^2}{4}$
$=4\left(x_1\cdot x_2\right)\:\le {x_1}^2+2x_1x_2+{x_2}^2$
$=4\left(x_1\cdot \:x_2\right)\:-2x_1x_2\le \:{x_1}^2+{x_2}^2$
Substituting in the values for $x_1$ and $x_2$ we get:
$4\left(\frac{a+\sqrt{a^2-4a+4}}{2}\cdot \:\frac{a-\sqrt{a^2-4a+4}}{2}\right)\:-2\left(\frac{a+\sqrt{a^2-4a+4}}{2}\right)\left(\frac{a-\sqrt{a^2-4a+4}}{2}\right)\le \:\left(\frac{a+\sqrt{a^2-4a+4}}{2}\right)^2+\left(\frac{a-\sqrt{a^2-4a+4}}{2}\right)^2$
$= 4\left(a-1\right)\:-\left(2a-2\right)\le \:a^2-2a+2$
$ = 0\le a^2-4a+4$
It seems as if I walked in circles through this process, can anyone help? Thanks in advance!
 [/INST] $x_1^2+x_2^2=(x_1+x_2)^2-2(x_1x_2)=a^2-2(a-1)$
The last equility is Vieta or if you wish $(x-x_1)(x-x_2)=x^2-(x_1+x_2)x+(x_1x_2).$
So the min is when $a=1$ (because of usual calculus).
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