How do you solve $a^2 + 2a - 48 = 0$ ?

Question

2348 views around the world

You can reuse this answer
Creative Commons License

Answer 1 · 2016-02-26T21:35:14

This trinomial is factorable, so we can solve by factoring.

To factor a trinomial of the form $y = ax^2 + bx + c, a = 1$ , we must find two numbers that multiply to c and that add to b.

Two numbers that multiply to -48 and that add to 2 are +8 and -6.

$(a + 8)(a - 6) = 0$

$a = -8 and 6$

Hopefully this helps.

How do you solve a^2 + 2a - 48 = 0a^2 + 2a - 48 = 0?