Question

Factor the following trinomials:
a) x^2 -2x -1
b) x^2 -3x+1

Answer 1

for ax^2 + bx +c

a)You have to find 2 numbers with the product of c and the sum of b

(x-1)(x-1)

b) here you should use quadratic formula

`\frac{-b+-\sqrt{b^(2) - 4ac} }{2a} = \frac{-(-3)+-\sqrt{(-3)^(2) - 4(1)(1)} }{2(1)} = (3+-√(5) )/(2)`

so it will be

`(x+ (3-√(5) )/(2))( x - (3+√(5) )/(2))`