How do you solve #2x^2 - 11x + 5 = 0#?

Question

7160 views around the world

You can reuse this answer
Creative Commons License

Answer 1 · 2015-07-10T17:15:39

The solutions for the equation are:
#color(blue)(x=1/2, x=5#

#2x^2 - 11x +5 = 0#

We can first factorise the equation by splitting the middle term and then find the solutions:

#2x^2 -color(blue)( 11x) +5 = 0#

#2x^2 color(blue)(- 10x - 1x) +5 = 0#

#2x(x-5) - 1(x -5) = 0#

#color(blue)((2x - 1)(x-5) = 0#

Now we equate each of the two terms with zero to find the solutions:
#color(blue)(2x - 1 = 0, x = 1/2)#

#color(blue)(x-5=0, x=5 #