Question

how to solve 2x^2-5x-3=0 by factoring

Answer 1

Well, have you considered factoring it?

Answer 2

2x^2-5x-3=0
(2x+1)(x-3)=0
Can you solve for X?

Answer 3

x=-1/2 & 3?

Answer 4

YES AWESOME :)

Answer 5

thank you (:
can you show me how you did the first step, please?

Answer 6

@jessiegonzales

Answer 7

Well i used the formula ax^2+bx+c=0

Answer 8

how do you factor that? like how did you get (2x+1)(x-3)=0?

Answer 9

@jessiegonzales

Answer 10

2x^2-5x-3

If it is going to factor, it MUST look like this

(2x __ ___)(x __ ___)

1 and 2 are the ONLY factors of 2. I has to be what I have written.

The rest is a little harder. Fortunately, 1 and 3 are the ONLY factors of 3. Thus, it MUST be one of these.

(2x __ 3)(x __ 1)
(2x __ 1)(x __ 3)

It's also a "-3", so the signs have to be different. This adds more possibilities

(2x + 3)(x - 1)
(2x + 1)(x - 3)
(2x - 3)(x + 1)
(2x - 1)(x + 3)

That is ALL the possibilities. Just find the one that works.

(2x + 3)(x - 1) = 2x^2 + x - 3 -- No good.
(2x + 1)(x - 3) = 2x^2 -5x - 3 -- Tripped over it!
(2x - 3)(x + 1) = 2x^2
(2x - 1)(x + 3) = 2x^2

You can try the last two if you like, just to prove they don't work.