SOLUTION: Hi I still need help on this. Use the quadratic formula to complete the following example: 3p^2 -18p + 6 Can someone please walk me through the steps to solving this?

Algebra ->  Quadratic Equations and Parabolas  -> Quadratic Equations Lessons  -> Quadratic Equation Lesson -> SOLUTION: Hi I still need help on this. Use the quadratic formula to complete the following example: 3p^2 -18p + 6 Can someone please walk me through the steps to solving this?      Log On


   

Question 204474: Hi I still need help on this. Use the quadratic formula to complete the following example:
3p^2 -18p + 6
Can someone please walk me through the steps to solving this?
Answer by jim_thompson5910(35256) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
I'm assuming that the problem is really 3p%5E2-18p%2B6=0 right? If so, then...



3p%5E2-18p%2B6=0 Start with the given equation.


Notice we have a quadratic equation in the form of ap%5E2%2Bbp%2Bc where a=3, b=-18, and c=6


Let's use the quadratic formula to solve for p


p+=+%28-b+%2B-+sqrt%28+b%5E2-4ac+%29%29%2F%282a%29 Start with the quadratic formula


p+=+%28-%28-18%29+%2B-+sqrt%28+%28-18%29%5E2-4%283%29%286%29+%29%29%2F%282%283%29%29 Plug in a=3, b=-18, and c=6


p+=+%2818+%2B-+sqrt%28+%28-18%29%5E2-4%283%29%286%29+%29%29%2F%282%283%29%29 Negate -18 to get 18.


p+=+%2818+%2B-+sqrt%28+324-4%283%29%286%29+%29%29%2F%282%283%29%29 Square -18 to get 324.


p+=+%2818+%2B-+sqrt%28+324-72+%29%29%2F%282%283%29%29 Multiply 4%283%29%286%29 to get 72


p+=+%2818+%2B-+sqrt%28+252+%29%29%2F%282%283%29%29 Subtract 72 from 324 to get 252


p+=+%2818+%2B-+sqrt%28+252+%29%29%2F%286%29 Multiply 2 and 3 to get 6.


p+=+%2818+%2B-+6%2Asqrt%287%29%29%2F%286%29 Simplify the square root (note: If you need help with simplifying square roots, check out this solver)


p+=+%2818%29%2F%286%29+%2B-+%286%2Asqrt%287%29%29%2F%286%29 Break up the fraction.


p+=+3+%2B-+sqrt%287%29 Reduce.


p+=+3%2Bsqrt%287%29 or p+=+3-sqrt%287%29 Break up the expression.


So the answers are p+=+3%2Bsqrt%287%29 or p+=+3-sqrt%287%29