How do I solve 2x^2 -x -6 = 0
Firstly if you multiply the number infront of the x2 by the number at the end to give -12. And then take the number infront of x, which is -1. Now we need to find two numbers that add to make -1 and multiply to make -12, which are 3 and -4. Replace the -x in the quadratic equation with a -4x and a +3x. Then divide the equation into two halves with 2x2 - 4x on one side and +3x - 6 on the other. Factorise each half, so find what goes into both 2x2 and 4x and keep it outside of the bracket, to give you 2x( x - 2 ). Then do the same on the other side, so +3 goes into both 3x and -6 , leaving (x - 2) in the brackets again. You should always have the same thing in the brackets on both sides which you merge as one bracket and the other is made up of the terms outside the brackets resulting in ( x - 2)( 2x + 3 ) = 0
