Question

There are two factors of -36 such that one factor is 11 less than half of the other factor. Choose all the pairs of these factors

Answer 1

the only way i know how to do this is through trial and error, this would be my process:

let the factors = a and b
a=.5b-11 from given info
now find the factors of 36,
36 and 1, 18 and 2, 12 and 3, 9 and 4, 6 and 6.
since its negative, one factor needs to be negative.
just plug in the factors for a and b, a being your negative number and b your positive.
b also needs to be an even number, since youre multiplying by a half and want an integer
finally, after some trial and error, you can find that the equation works if b=4 and a=-9.
your two factors are -9 and 4.

Answer 2

Thanks s00 much but why do you use 5 to multiply b?

Answer 3

i used .5 because its 11 less than a half. a half is the same as multiplying by .5 (hard to see the decimal)

Answer 4

Oh makes much more sense thanks a bunch