Answer:
Explanation:
x^2 - 7x + 10 = 0 can be factored as follows: (x - 5)(x - 2). Note that -5x -2x combine to -7x, the middle term of this quadratic, and that (-5)(-2) = +10, the constant term. Setting each of these factors = to 0 separately, we get:
x = 5 and x = 2.
x^2 - 2x = 20 should be rewritten in standard form for a quadratic equation before you attempt to solve it: x^2 - 2x - 20 = 0. This quadratic is not so easily factored as was the previous one. Let's use the quadratic formula:
-b ± √(b²-4ac)
x = --------------------
2a
Here, a = 1, b = -2 and c = -20, so the discriminant b²-4ac = (-2)^2 - 4(1)(-20), or 4 + 80, or 84. 84 has only one perfect square factor: 4·21. Because the discriminant is +, we know that this equation has two real, unequal roots.
They are:
-(-2) ± √(4·21) 2 ± 2√21
x = ---------------------- = ----------------- = 1 ± √21
2(1) 2