document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=4812>Question 4812</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> why do you factor a quadratic equation before you solve? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #310498 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=robertb><B>robertb(5830)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=robertb><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=robertb><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=310498\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Because you want to take advantage of the Zero-Product property, which says a*b = 0 implies either a = 0 or b = 0.  Factoring a quadratic expression involves reversing the distributive property of multiplication over addition, the result being the product of two linear factors. </SPAN>\n" );
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