document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=124943>Question 124943</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> How would you solve this equation?\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "a^2-3=2a </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #91576 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=jim_thompson5910><B>jim_thompson5910(35256)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=jim_thompson5910><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/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=91576\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> <BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a%5E2-3=2a ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a%5E2-3=2a\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Start with the given equation\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a%5E2-3-2a=0 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a%5E2-3-2a=0\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >  Subtract 2a from both sides. \r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a%5E2-2a-3=0 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a%5E2-2a-3=0\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Rearrange the terms\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28a-3%29%28a%2B1%29=0 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28a-3%29%28a%2B1%29=0\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Factor the left side (note: if you need help with factoring, check out this <a  rel=nofollow HREF=http://www.algebra.com/algebra/homework/playground/change-this-name4450.solver>solver</a>)\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Now set each factor equal to zero:\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a-3=0 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a-3=0\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > or  <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a%2B1=0 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a%2B1=0\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > \r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a=3 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a=3\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > or  <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a=-1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a=-1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >    Now solve for a in each case\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "So our answer is \r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( " <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a=3 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a=3\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > or  <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a=-1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a=-1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > \r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Notice if we graph <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=y=x%5E2-2x-3 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"y=x%5E2-2x-3\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >  (just replace a with x)  we can see that the roots are <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x=3 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x=3\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > and  <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x=-1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x=-1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > . So this visually verifies our answer.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=+graph%28500%2C500%2C-10%2C10%2C-10%2C10%2C0%2C+x%5E2-2x-3%29+ ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"+graph%28500%2C500%2C-10%2C10%2C-10%2C10%2C0%2C+x%5E2-2x-3%29+\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );