Help with signs, The sum of two numbers is 8, and their product is 9, 75, what are they?

So, the answer in the book states: 1, 5 and 6, 5.

But when I do the Algebra, I get:

x+y=8 ; xy=9,75

x = 8 - y

9, 75 = (8 - y ) y

y28y9,75

And then quadratic formula:

b±b24ac2

Which gives:

b±644(9,75)(1)2

b±64+392

b±1032

The way to get 1, 5 and 6, 5 would be to have 64 - 39 in the parrnethesis, but I always get a cancelation of signs, either with - y^2 or -9, 5.

Help please.

1 Answer
May 6, 2018

1.5 and 6.5

Explanation:

You have the problem essentially worked out so:
x+y=8
xy=9.75

Substitute for x
x=y+8
(y+8)y=9.75

This is where there was a minor error, yy is y2

y2+8y9.75=0

y=8±644(1)(9.75)2(1)

y=8±252

y=4±52

y=6.5or1.5

So you can decide which number you want for x and which you want for y:

The numbers are:
1.5 and 6.5