How do you factor the trinomial $x^2 - 5x - 14$ ?

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Answer 1 · 2016-02-17T12:21:39

$(x-7)(x+2)$

Notice that

2 x 7 =14
7-2=5 so 2-7 =-5
'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So lets try

$(x-7)(x+2) -> x^2-5x-14$

So the factors are: $" " x= +7 and x= -2$

If $" " x=+7 " then "(x-7)=0$ satisfying the condition

If $" "x=-2 " then "(x+2)=0$ satisfying the condition

How do you factor the trinomial x^2 - 5x - 14x^2 - 5x - 14?