Final answer:
The student's question involves solving quadratic equations using the quadratic formula, substituting given values for variables a, b, and c, and calculating two possible solutions for x.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question refers to solving quadratic equations using the quadratic formula, which is written as x = (-b ± √(b² - 4ac)) / (2a). When substituting the values of a, b, and c into the formula, you calculate the discriminant (the part under the square root sign), which is b² - 4ac, and then use it to find the two possible solutions for x. These solutions could be real or complex numbers, depending on the value of the discriminant.
For example, if the values of a, b, and c are 3, 13, and -10, respectively, the calculation steps would include:
- Finding the discriminant: (13)² - 4 * 3 * (-10)
- Calculating the two possible solutions for x by plugging the discriminant into the quadratic formula.
It's important to remember that while dealing with quadratic equations, the coefficient 'a' should not be zero, as this would make the equation linear rather than quadratic.