Question

How do you factor completely: `b^2 -7b -44`?

Answer 1

I found:
`(b-11)(b+4)`

Explanation:

I would first try to solve the equation:
`b^2-7b-44=0` using the Quadratic Formula:
`b_(1,2)=(7+-sqrt(49+176))/2=(7+-15)/2=`
`b_1=(7+15)/2=11`
`b_2=(7-15)/2=-4`

So we can use these two results (with opposite signs) and get:
`(b-11)(b+4)=b^2-7b-44`