If i is negative and o is positive, which of the following cannot be true?
A. The image is larger than the object
B. The object and image are on the same side
C. The inequality holds
D. The image is upside down
A
The given conditions do not restrict either the size of the image or the distance of the image from the object, so answers A and C are eliminated. Since it was not specified whether the light was interacting with a mirror or a lens, answer B is also possible.(For a converging mirror, if i is negative and o is positive, both the object and the image are on the same side of the lens.) However, since magnification is defined as
when i is negative and o is positive, the magnification must be positive and thus the image must be rightside up.
