Question

if there are n teams in a league and each team plays each other twice in a season, the total number of games is given by the polynomial n^2-n=N. A women's basketball league plays a total of 56 games. How many teams are in the league?

Answer 1

So let's say t is the number of teams
\[t^2-t=56\]
Can you solve that?

Answer 2

56^2?

Answer 3

Use the quadratic formula

Answer 4

\(t^2-t-56=0\)
\(t=\cfrac{-(-1)\pm\sqrt{-1^2-4\times(-56)}}{2}\)

Answer 5

http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=t^2-t-56%3D0

Answer 6

Make sense?