Cue Column:
- Sum of roots?
- Product of roots?
- How to form equation from roots?
Note Column: If alpha, beta are roots of ax^2 + bx + c = 0: alpha + beta = -b/a, alpha * beta = c/a. To form a quadratic with roots alpha, beta: x^2 - (alpha+beta)x + alphabeta = 0. These formulas allow computing symmetric expressions without finding individual roots. Key derived formulas: alpha^2+beta^2 = (alpha+beta)^2 - 2alphabeta, alpha^3+beta^3 = (alpha+beta)^3 - 3alphabeta(alpha+beta).
Summary: Vieta's formulas connect coefficients to roots. They are the primary tool for computing root expressions and forming new equations.