Question 159256
How do you solve: n^2 - 10n = -21 ?
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Put it into quadratic form:
n^2 - 10n + 21 = 0
One way is to factor it.
It will factor into (n - a)*(n - b)
a*b is 21
a+b is 10
a and b have the same sign, since their product, a*b, is positive.
The only (integer) factors that work to make a*b 21 are:
21*1 and 7*3.
21 and 1 add up to 22, so that's no good.
7 and 3 total 10, which is the coefficient of the middle term, so that's the ones we're looking for.
(n - 3)*(n - 7) = 0
So n = 3, n = 7
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You can use the quadratic equation, too.
*[invoke solve_quadratic_equation 1,-10,21]
The onsite solver always uses x, so sub n for x.