Inactive Tutor answered • 09/06/19
Tutor
New to Wyzant
There are 5 quadratic methods. Two methods might be used: Completing the Square or the Quadratic Formula. Using the QUADRATIC FORMULA, the result is x = ( - 4 + or - SQRT( 16- 4*1*5)/ (2*1). This can be simplified to (- 4 + or - SQRT ( 16 - 20))/ 2 OR (-4 + or - SQRT (-4))/ 2. The numerator can be simplified to - 4 + or - 2*i. Notice that both terms in the numerator have a common factor of 2. The numerator can be written as 2*( - 2 +or- i). Therefore, we have x = 2 (-2 +or- i)/ 2 or x = -2 +or - i.
Inactive Tutor
There’s Graphing and Matrices ( now taught in Algebra 2 or pre-Calculus). Both have limitations. Graphing will identify only real solutions, nothing in the complex plane.
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09/06/19
Inactive Tutor
FIVE methods for solving quadratics? I know only 3: Factoring, Completing the square, and quadratic formula. Googling just now found some discussion of 4 methods, but can't you always use one of the basic 3?09/06/19