document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=189342>Question 189342</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Plot the graph of y= x3- 1.5x2- 8.5x +4.5 from x= -4 to x= +4 at 1 unit intervals, and use the graph to solve the cubic equation  x³-1.5x2 -8.5x + 4.5= 0 </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #142084 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Alan3354><B>Alan3354(69443)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Alan3354><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=Alan3354><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=142084\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Plot the graph of y= x3- 1.5x2- 8.5x +4.5 from x= -4 to x= +4 at 1 unit intervals, and use the graph to solve the equation  x³-1.5x2 -8.5x + 4.5= 0<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "I did that.  I use the graphing software from www.padowan.dk.com/graph/  (it's free)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "I suspected that 0.5 is a zero because of the fractions in the equation, and it is.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Multiply the eqn by 2, then, after dividing by (x-1) you have <BR>\n" );
document.write( "2x^2 - x - 18 = 0<BR>\n" );
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document.write( " <TR><TD  ALIGN=MIDDLE>Solved by <A  rel=nofollow HREF=http://wiki.algebra.com/index.php/Tutoring_-_pluggable_solvers>pluggable</A> solver: <A  rel=nofollow HREF=solve_quadratic_equation.solver>SOLVE quadratic equation (work shown, graph etc)</A></TD></TR>\n" );
document.write( "<TR><TD  ALIGN=LEFT>Quadratic equation <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=ax%5E2%2Bbx%2Bc=0 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"ax%5E2%2Bbx%2Bc=0\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > (in our case <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=2x%5E2%2B-1x%2B-18+=+0 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"2x%5E2%2B-1x%2B-18+=+0\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >) has the following solutons:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "  <BR>\n" );
document.write( "  <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%5B12%5D+=+%28b%2B-sqrt%28+b%5E2-4ac+%29%29%2F2%5Ca ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%5B12%5D+=+%28b%2B-sqrt%28+b%5E2-4ac+%29%29%2F2%5Ca\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "  <BR>\n" );
document.write( "  For these solutions to exist, the <U>discriminant</U> <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=b%5E2-4ac ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"b%5E2-4ac\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > should not be a negative number.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "  <BR>\n" );
document.write( "  First, we need to compute the discriminant <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=b%5E2-4ac ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"b%5E2-4ac\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >: <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=b%5E2-4ac=%28-1%29%5E2-4%2A2%2A-18=145 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"b%5E2-4ac=%28-1%29%5E2-4%2A2%2A-18=145\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "  <BR>\n" );
document.write( "  Discriminant d=145 is greater than zero. That means that there are two solutions: <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=+x%5B12%5D+=+%28--1%2B-sqrt%28+145+%29%29%2F2%5Ca ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"+x%5B12%5D+=+%28--1%2B-sqrt%28+145+%29%29%2F2%5Ca\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "  <BR>\n" );
document.write( "    <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%5B1%5D+=+%28-%28-1%29%2Bsqrt%28+145+%29%29%2F2%5C2+=+3.26039864469807 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%5B1%5D+=+%28-%28-1%29%2Bsqrt%28+145+%29%29%2F2%5C2+=+3.26039864469807\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "    <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%5B2%5D+=+%28-%28-1%29-sqrt%28+145+%29%29%2F2%5C2+=+-2.76039864469807 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%5B2%5D+=+%28-%28-1%29-sqrt%28+145+%29%29%2F2%5C2+=+-2.76039864469807\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "    <BR>\n" );
document.write( "    Quadratic expression <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=2x%5E2%2B-1x%2B-18 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"2x%5E2%2B-1x%2B-18\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > can be factored:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "  <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=2x%5E2%2B-1x%2B-18+=+%28x-3.26039864469807%29%2A%28x--2.76039864469807%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"2x%5E2%2B-1x%2B-18+=+%28x-3.26039864469807%29%2A%28x--2.76039864469807%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "  Again, the answer is: 3.26039864469807, -2.76039864469807.\n" );
document.write( "Here's your graph:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=graph%28+500%2C+500%2C+-10%2C+10%2C+-20%2C+20%2C+2%2Ax%5E2%2B-1%2Ax%2B-18+%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"graph%28+500%2C+500%2C+-10%2C+10%2C+-20%2C+20%2C+2%2Ax%5E2%2B-1%2Ax%2B-18+%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ></TD></TR>\n" );
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document.write( " </SPAN>\n" );
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