SOLUTION: Please help me! I am stuck and don't know if I'm doing this right and it's due tomorrow!!! I am confused when I am letting y=0 and solving for x using the quadratic formula... that

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Question 379999: Please help me! I am stuck and don't know if I'm doing this right and it's due tomorrow!!! I am confused when I am letting y=0 and solving for x using the quadratic formula... that is where I get stumped.
y=x^2-2x-2
I need to find the vertex and any two convenient points to sketch the graph. This is what I've done so far and I will note when I get confused.
Letting y=0
{0=-(2)+- sqrt(-2)^2-4(1)(2)all over 2}
then I end up with
{x=2+- sqrt(-4)} over 2
I do not know where to get next. Do I divide the 2 into the 2 and 4? Then that would give me -1 +- 2 right??? Then I would set them to zero and have my x points?
I have solved for y by letting x=0
y=o^2-2(0)-2
y=-2
(0,-2)
I have found the vertex by using: x=b/2(a)
x=2/2(1) y=(1)^2-2(1)-2
x=1 y= -3 giving me plots of (1,-3)
I really hope someone can help me. I know it is late but I have run out of resources. Thanks D.

Answer by jim_thompson5910(35256) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

x%5E2-2x-2=0 Start with the given equation.


Notice that the quadratic x%5E2-2x-2 is in the form of Ax%5E2%2BBx%2BC where A=1, B=-2, and C=-2


Let's use the quadratic formula to solve for "x":


x+=+%28-B+%2B-+sqrt%28+B%5E2-4AC+%29%29%2F%282A%29 Start with the quadratic formula


x+=+%28-%28-2%29+%2B-+sqrt%28+%28-2%29%5E2-4%281%29%28-2%29+%29%29%2F%282%281%29%29 Plug in A=1, B=-2, and C=-2


x+=+%282+%2B-+sqrt%28+%28-2%29%5E2-4%281%29%28-2%29+%29%29%2F%282%281%29%29 Negate -2 to get 2.


x+=+%282+%2B-+sqrt%28+4-4%281%29%28-2%29+%29%29%2F%282%281%29%29 Square -2 to get 4.


x+=+%282+%2B-+sqrt%28+4--8+%29%29%2F%282%281%29%29 Multiply 4%281%29%28-2%29 to get -8


x+=+%282+%2B-+sqrt%28+4%2B8+%29%29%2F%282%281%29%29 Rewrite sqrt%284--8%29 as sqrt%284%2B8%29


x+=+%282+%2B-+sqrt%28+12+%29%29%2F%282%281%29%29 Add 4 to 8 to get 12


x+=+%282+%2B-+sqrt%28+12+%29%29%2F%282%29 Multiply 2 and 1 to get 2.


x+=+%282+%2B-+2%2Asqrt%283%29%29%2F%282%29 Simplify the square root (note: If you need help with simplifying square roots, check out this solver)


x+=+%282%29%2F%282%29+%2B-+%282%2Asqrt%283%29%29%2F%282%29 Break up the fraction.


x+=+1+%2B-+sqrt%283%29 Reduce.


x+=+1%2Bsqrt%283%29 or x+=+1-sqrt%283%29 Break up the expression.


So the solutions are x+=+1%2Bsqrt%283%29 or x+=+1-sqrt%283%29


Since these values approximate to x=2.73205081 or x=-0.732050808, the x-intercepts are approximately (2.73205081, 0) and (-0.732050808, 0)


You have the correct vertex and y-intercept.


If you need more help, email me at jim_thompson5910@hotmail.com

Also, feel free to check out my tutoring website

Jim