How can I avoid errors when dealing with negative numbers inside the square root of the quadratic formula?

If you encounter a negative number under the square root (the discriminant, b² - 4ac), it indicates that the quadratic equation has no real solutions. Trying to proceed with a real number square root will cause a math error. Instead, recognize this situation and state that there are no real roots. If complex roots are expected, you would introduce the imaginary unit 'i'.