Quadratic Equations
- Thread starter pgotm
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2005
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- 11,339
You begin by forgetting FOIL and learning how to multiply. You have the Distributive Property of Multiplication over Addition. Use it.
Hold on. Is there a problem statement? Are you to "SOLVE" the equation? If that is so, generally one would want to factor things. What has FOIL to do with factoring? That's the wrong direction!
If some things are multiplied and the result is zero (0), one of the things MUST be zero.
1) x = 0
2) x - 4 = 0
4x^2 - 25 = (2x+5)(2x-5) = 0
3) 2x+5 = 0
4) 2x-5 = 0
Hold on. Is there a problem statement? Are you to "SOLVE" the equation? If that is so, generally one would want to factor things. What has FOIL to do with factoring? That's the wrong direction!
If some things are multiplied and the result is zero (0), one of the things MUST be zero.
1) x = 0
2) x - 4 = 0
4x^2 - 25 = (2x+5)(2x-5) = 0
3) 2x+5 = 0
4) 2x-5 = 0