Question 709099: How many ways can you do a ballistics word problem?
Are using the quadratic formula and factoring the only two ways? (Test Tomorrow!)
Answer by jim_thompson5910(35256)   (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! You can also complete the square or you can graph. Graphing is usually a quick and easy way to visually see it, but sometimes the solutions may not show up (so you'll have to adjust the window) and you won't get the exact solutions most of the time. So if you want the exact solutions, then you'll have to use the quadratic formula or completing the square.
The quadratic formula is probably the most direct way to get the exact solutions every time. So I recommend using this. The next best thing is completing the square since it's closely related.
Factoring is probably the last option and the worst option because only a very small set of problems are factorable. The rest isn't factorable at all. If it is factorable, then you better hope you're dealing with small numbers otherwise you are guessing and wasting time.
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