document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=80544>Question 80544</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Solve the equation.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "a^2-a-2=0 </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #57772 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=tutorcecilia><B>tutorcecilia(2152)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=tutorcecilia><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=tutorcecilia><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=57772\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28a%5E2-a-2%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28a%5E2-a-2%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >=0 [solve for the a-term by factoring the polynomial]<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(a+1)(a-2)=0 [set each factor equal to zero and solve]<BR>\n" );
document.write( "a+1=0<BR>\n" );
document.write( "a=-1<BR>\n" );
document.write( "and<BR>\n" );
document.write( "a-2=0<BR>\n" );
document.write( "a=2<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "So, the answers are x = -1 and x=2<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "check by plugging the values for x back into the original equation and solve.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28a%5E2-a-2%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28a%5E2-a-2%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >=0<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Let x=-1<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28%28-1%29%5E2-%28-1%29-2%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28%28-1%29%5E2-%28-1%29-2%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >=0<BR>\n" );
document.write( "1+1-2=0<BR>\n" );
document.write( "2-2=0<BR>\n" );
document.write( "0=0 [checks out] <BR>\n" );
document.write( "and<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28a%5E2-a-2%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28a%5E2-a-2%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >=0<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Let x=2<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28%282%29%5E2-%282%29-2%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28%282%29%5E2-%282%29-2%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >=0<BR>\n" );
document.write( "4-2-2=0<BR>\n" );
document.write( "4-4-0<BR>\n" );
document.write( "0=0 [also checks out]<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28a%5E2-a-2%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28a%5E2-a-2%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >=0 </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );