Question

1/2x^2 + 4x - 1 = 0
How to factor it

Answer 1

x + 4 - 3√2 and x + 4 + 3√2

Explanation:

When other methods seem to difficult to apply, try using the quadratic formula:

Here a = 1/2, b = 4 and c = -1.

Then the "discriminant" is b^2 - 4ac, or

(4)^2 - 4(1/2)(-1), or 16 + 2 = 18

Then the roots are:

-4 ± √18, or -4 ± 3√2

and thus the factors are x + 4 - 3√2 and x + 4 + 3√2

x = ---------------------