SOLUTION: HOW DO YOU SOLVE THIS PROBLEM Y=(X-1)(X+2) I DONT GET THE STEPS IS IT GCF OR WHAT IM TOTALLY LOST

Algebra ->  Matrices-and-determiminant -> SOLUTION: HOW DO YOU SOLVE THIS PROBLEM Y=(X-1)(X+2) I DONT GET THE STEPS IS IT GCF OR WHAT IM TOTALLY LOST      Log On


   

Question 178636This question is from textbook TEXAS ALGERA 2
: HOW DO YOU SOLVE THIS PROBLEM
Y=(X-1)(X+2) I DONT GET THE STEPS IS IT GCF OR WHAT IM TOTALLY LOST This question is from textbook TEXAS ALGERA 2

Answer by josmiceli(19441) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Language is very important in math.
First of all,
y+=+%28x-1%29%28x%2B2%29 can't be "solved"
You've got 1 equation with 2 unknowns. In order for
there to be a solution, the number of equations has
to match the number of unknowns. Very important
You have to know what is required of any problem
before you can do anything with it.
What do they want?
If they want you to find the roots of the equation,
They are the values of x that make y=0 true
0+=+%28x-1%29%28x%2B2%29
If I say x=1, I get
0+=+%281-1%29%281%2B2%29
0+=+0%2A3
0+=+0
So x=1 is a root
If I say x=-2, I get
0+=+%28-2-1%29%28-2%2B2%29
0+=+-3%2A0
0+=+0
So x+=+-2 is a root also
If you don't know what a problem is looking for, there's no way
you can give it to them