WordGPT

Solve 5x² - 4x - 12 = 0

The solutions of 5x² - 4x - 12 = 0 are x = 2 or x = -6/5.

x² +x += 0
5x2−4x−12=0⇒x=2, −655x^2 - 4x - 12 = 0 \Rightarrow x = 2,\ -\frac{6}{5}
Discriminant D = 256 · x ≈ 2, -1.2

Change a, b or c (whole numbers, a not 0) and the exact solutions follow.

Graph of y = 5x² - 4x - 12-3-2-11234-20204060x = 2x = -1.2vertexy = 5x² - 4x - 12
Graph of y = 5x² - 4x - 12. The curve crosses the x-axis at x = 2 and x = -1.2; the vertex is at (0.4, -12.8).

How to work it out

  1. 1

    Write it in standard form a x² + b x + c = 0 and read off the coefficients: a = 5, b = -4, c = -12.

    5x2−4x−12=05x^2 - 4x - 12 = 0
  2. 2

    Work out the discriminant D = b² − 4ac. Its sign tells you how many real solutions there are.

    D=(−4)2−4⋅5⋅(−12)=16+240=256D = (-4)^2 - 4\cdot5\cdot(-12) = 16 + 240 = 256
  3. 3

    D is positive, so there are two different real solutions.

  4. 4

    Method 1, factoring. The roots are rational, so the left side factors:

    (x−2)(5x+6)=0\left(x - 2\right)\left(5x + 6\right) = 0
  5. 5

    A product is zero when one of its factors is zero, so set each factor equal to 0 and solve:

    x−2=0⇒x=25x+6=0⇒x=−65x - 2 = 0 \Rightarrow x = 2\qquad 5x + 6 = 0 \Rightarrow x = -\frac{6}{5}
  6. 6

    Method 2, The quadratic formula works for every quadratic:

    x=−b±D2a=4±25610x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{D}}{2a} = \frac{4 \pm \sqrt{256}}{10}
  7. 7

    Simplify to get the solutions:

    x=2orx=−65x = 2\quad\text{or}\quad x = -\frac{6}{5}
  8. 8

    Check by putting x = 2 back in: a·x² + b·x + c = 5·(4) + (-4)·(2) + (-12) = 0 ✓

LaTeX source of the formulas on this page
\[ 5x^2 - 4x - 12 = 0\ \Rightarrow\ x = 2,\ -\frac{6}{5} \]
\[ 5x^2 - 4x - 12 = 0 \]
\[ D = (-4)^2 - 4\cdot5\cdot(-12) = 16 + 240 = 256 \]
\[ \left(x - 2\right)\left(5x + 6\right) = 0 \]
\[ x - 2 = 0 \Rightarrow x = 2\qquad 5x + 6 = 0 \Rightarrow x = -\frac{6}{5} \]
\[ x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{D}}{2a} = \frac{4 \pm \sqrt{256}}{10} \]
\[ x = 2\quad\text{or}\quad x = -\frac{6}{5} \]

The parabola y = 5x² - 4x - 12

xy
-2.632.2
-1.67.2
-0.6-7.8
0.4-12.8
1.4-7.8
2.47.2
3.432.2

Questions

What are the solutions of 5x² - 4x - 12 = 0?

The solutions of 5x² - 4x - 12 = 0 are x = 2 or x = -6/5.

Does 5x² - 4x - 12 = 0 factor?

Yes: (x-2)(5x+6) = 0.

What is the vertex of y = 5x² - 4x - 12?

(2/5, -64/5). The parabola opens upwards, so this is the minimum.

What are the sum and product of the roots?

Sum = −b/a = 4/5, product = c/a = -12/5.

Similar equations

    Solve 5x² - 4x - 12 = 0: x = 2 or x = -6/5 (steps) | WordGPT