A particle is moving in the xy-plane along a curve C passing through the point (3, 3). The tangent to the curve C at the point P meets the x-axis at Q. If the y-axis bisects the segment PQ, then C is a parabola with :

Let the maximum area of the triangle that can be inscribed in the ellipse $${{{x^2}} \over {{a^2}}} + {{{y^2}} \over 4} = 1,\,a > 2$$, having one of its vertices at one end of the major axis of the ellipse and one of its sides parallel to the y-axis, be $$6\sqrt 3 $$. Then the eccentricity of the ellipse is :

Let the area of the triangle with vertices A(1, $$\alpha$$), B($$\alpha$$, 0) and C(0, $$\alpha$$) be 4 sq. units. If the points ($$\alpha$$, $$-$$$$\alpha$$), ($$-$$$$\alpha$$, $$\alpha$$) and ($$\alpha$$², $$\beta$$) are collinear, then $$\beta$$ is equal to :

The number of distinct real roots of the equation

x⁷ $$-$$ 7x $$-$$ 2 = 0 is