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What adds to -3 and multiplies to -36

1 Answer

4 votes

Take the two conditions that you've given us:

. . . x + y = -3

. . . xy = -36

Massage the first equation to say [ y = -x - 3 ], then substitute that one into
the second equation, and the second equation becomes

x² + 3x - 36 = 0 .

That one can't be easily factored, but you can mash it through
the quadratic formula, and discover that . . .

x = -1.5 (plus and minus) 1/2 √153

so the two numbers are

- 7.68466 (rounded)
and
+ 4.68466 (rounded).

Check:

4.68466 7.68466 = -3

(4.68466) x (-7.68466) = -36.00002 (rounded) yay !


answered
User Eric Steinborn
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