Skip to main content
Solve for x
Tick mark Image
Graph

Similar Problems from Web Search

Share

-2x^{2}-3x+2=0
Rearrange the polynomial to put it in standard form. Place the terms in order from highest to lowest power.
a+b=-3 ab=-2\times 2=-4
To solve the equation, factor the left hand side by grouping. First, left hand side needs to be rewritten as -2x^{2}+ax+bx+2. To find a and b, set up a system to be solved.
1,-4 2,-2
Since ab is negative, a and b have the opposite signs. Since a+b is negative, the negative number has greater absolute value than the positive. List all such integer pairs that give product -4.
1-4=-3 2-2=0
Calculate the sum for each pair.
a=1 b=-4
The solution is the pair that gives sum -3.
\left(-2x^{2}+x\right)+\left(-4x+2\right)
Rewrite -2x^{2}-3x+2 as \left(-2x^{2}+x\right)+\left(-4x+2\right).
-x\left(2x-1\right)-2\left(2x-1\right)
Factor out -x in the first and -2 in the second group.
\left(2x-1\right)\left(-x-2\right)
Factor out common term 2x-1 by using distributive property.
x=\frac{1}{2} x=-2
To find equation solutions, solve 2x-1=0 and -x-2=0.
-2x^{2}-3x+2=0
All equations of the form ax^{2}+bx+c=0 can be solved using the quadratic formula: \frac{-b±\sqrt{b^{2}-4ac}}{2a}. The quadratic formula gives two solutions, one when ± is addition and one when it is subtraction.
x=\frac{-\left(-3\right)±\sqrt{\left(-3\right)^{2}-4\left(-2\right)\times 2}}{2\left(-2\right)}
This equation is in standard form: ax^{2}+bx+c=0. Substitute -2 for a, -3 for b, and 2 for c in the quadratic formula, \frac{-b±\sqrt{b^{2}-4ac}}{2a}.
x=\frac{-\left(-3\right)±\sqrt{9-4\left(-2\right)\times 2}}{2\left(-2\right)}
Square -3.
x=\frac{-\left(-3\right)±\sqrt{9+8\times 2}}{2\left(-2\right)}
Multiply -4 times -2.
x=\frac{-\left(-3\right)±\sqrt{9+16}}{2\left(-2\right)}
Multiply 8 times 2.
x=\frac{-\left(-3\right)±\sqrt{25}}{2\left(-2\right)}
Add 9 to 16.
x=\frac{-\left(-3\right)±5}{2\left(-2\right)}
Take the square root of 25.
x=\frac{3±5}{2\left(-2\right)}
The opposite of -3 is 3.
x=\frac{3±5}{-4}
Multiply 2 times -2.
x=\frac{8}{-4}
Now solve the equation x=\frac{3±5}{-4} when ± is plus. Add 3 to 5.
x=-2
Divide 8 by -4.
x=-\frac{2}{-4}
Now solve the equation x=\frac{3±5}{-4} when ± is minus. Subtract 5 from 3.
x=\frac{1}{2}
Reduce the fraction \frac{-2}{-4} to lowest terms by extracting and canceling out 2.
x=-2 x=\frac{1}{2}
The equation is now solved.
-2x^{2}-3x+2=0
Quadratic equations such as this one can be solved by completing the square. In order to complete the square, the equation must first be in the form x^{2}+bx=c.
-2x^{2}-3x+2-2=-2
Subtract 2 from both sides of the equation.
-2x^{2}-3x=-2
Subtracting 2 from itself leaves 0.
\frac{-2x^{2}-3x}{-2}=-\frac{2}{-2}
Divide both sides by -2.
x^{2}+\left(-\frac{3}{-2}\right)x=-\frac{2}{-2}
Dividing by -2 undoes the multiplication by -2.
x^{2}+\frac{3}{2}x=-\frac{2}{-2}
Divide -3 by -2.
x^{2}+\frac{3}{2}x=1
Divide -2 by -2.
x^{2}+\frac{3}{2}x+\left(\frac{3}{4}\right)^{2}=1+\left(\frac{3}{4}\right)^{2}
Divide \frac{3}{2}, the coefficient of the x term, by 2 to get \frac{3}{4}. Then add the square of \frac{3}{4} to both sides of the equation. This step makes the left hand side of the equation a perfect square.
x^{2}+\frac{3}{2}x+\frac{9}{16}=1+\frac{9}{16}
Square \frac{3}{4} by squaring both the numerator and the denominator of the fraction.
x^{2}+\frac{3}{2}x+\frac{9}{16}=\frac{25}{16}
Add 1 to \frac{9}{16}.
\left(x+\frac{3}{4}\right)^{2}=\frac{25}{16}
Factor x^{2}+\frac{3}{2}x+\frac{9}{16}. In general, when x^{2}+bx+c is a perfect square, it can always be factored as \left(x+\frac{b}{2}\right)^{2}.
\sqrt{\left(x+\frac{3}{4}\right)^{2}}=\sqrt{\frac{25}{16}}
Take the square root of both sides of the equation.
x+\frac{3}{4}=\frac{5}{4} x+\frac{3}{4}=-\frac{5}{4}
Simplify.
x=\frac{1}{2} x=-2
Subtract \frac{3}{4} from both sides of the equation.