Question

How do you solve by factoring `6x^2 - x - 3= 0`?

Answer 1

To factor a trinomial of the form `y = ax^2 + bx + c, a != 1`, you must find two numbers so that they multiply to `a xx c` and they add to b.

Explanation:

Going through the factors of 18:`(-1, 18); (18, -1); (6,-3); (-3, 6); (-9,2); (-2, 9)`, we see that none of those pairs add to -1.

Thus, we can say that this quadratic equation is non factorable; it can only be solved by the quadratic formula or completing the square.

Hopefully this helps.