Finding Roots - Algebra 2

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Question

Find the roots of the following quadratic expression:

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Answer

First, we have to know that "finding the roots" means "finding the values of x which make the expression =0." So basically we are going to set the original expression = 0 and factor.

This quadratic looks messy to factor by sight, so we'll use factoring by composition. We multiply a and c together, and look for factors that add to b.

So we can use 8 and -3. We will re-write 5x using these numbers as 8x - 3x, and then factor by grouping.

Note the extra + sign we inserted to make sure the meaning is not lost when parentheses are added. Now we identify common factors to be "pulled" out.

Now we factor out the (3x + 4).

Setting each factor = 0 we can find the solutions.

So the solutions are x = 1/2 and x = -4/3, or {-4/3, 1/2}.

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