Solve 2u^2+5u-18

$$2 u ^ { 2 } + 5 u - 18$$

Factor

$$\left(u-2\right)\left(2u+9\right)$$

Solution Steps

Factor the expression by grouping. First, the expression needs to be rewritten as 2u^{2}+au+bu-18. To find a and b, set up a system to be solved.

$$a+b=5 ab=2\left(-18\right)=-36$$

Since ab is negative, a and b have the opposite signs. Since a+b is positive, the positive number has greater absolute value than the negative. List all such integer pairs that give product -36.

$$-1,36 -2,18 -3,12 -4,9 -6,6$$

Calculate the sum for each pair.

$$-1+36=35 -2+18=16 -3+12=9 -4+9=5 -6+6=0$$

The solution is the pair that gives sum 5.

$$a=-4 b=9$$

Rewrite 2u^{2}+5u-18 as \left(2u^{2}-4u\right)+\left(9u-18\right).

$$\left(2u^{2}-4u\right)+\left(9u-18\right)$$

Factor out 2u in the first and 9 in the second group.

$$2u\left(u-2\right)+9\left(u-2\right)$$

Factor out common term u-2 by using distributive property.

$$\left(u-2\right)\left(2u+9\right)$$

Steps Using the Quadratic Formula

Quadratic polynomial can be factored using the transformation ax^{2}+bx+c=a\left(x-x_{1}\right)\left(x-x_{2}\right), where x_{1} and x_{2} are the solutions of the quadratic equation ax^{2}+bx+c=0.

$$2u^{2}+5u-18=0$$

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.

$$u=\frac{-5±\sqrt{5^{2}-4\times 2\left(-18\right)}}{2\times 2}$$

Square 5.

$$u=\frac{-5±\sqrt{25-4\times 2\left(-18\right)}}{2\times 2}$$

Multiply -4 times 2.

$$u=\frac{-5±\sqrt{25-8\left(-18\right)}}{2\times 2}$$

Multiply -8 times -18.

$$u=\frac{-5±\sqrt{25+144}}{2\times 2}$$

Add 25 to 144.

$$u=\frac{-5±\sqrt{169}}{2\times 2}$$

Take the square root of 169.

$$u=\frac{-5±13}{2\times 2}$$

Multiply 2 times 2.

$$u=\frac{-5±13}{4}$$

Now solve the equation u=\frac{-5±13}{4} when ± is plus. Add -5 to 13.

$$u=\frac{8}{4}$$

Divide 8 by 4.

$$u=2$$

Now solve the equation u=\frac{-5±13}{4} when ± is minus. Subtract 13 from -5.

$$u=-\frac{18}{4}$$

Reduce the fraction \frac{-18}{4} to lowest terms by extracting and canceling out 2.

$$u=-\frac{9}{2}$$

Factor the original expression using ax^{2}+bx+c=a\left(x-x_{1}\right)\left(x-x_{2}\right). Substitute 2 for x_{1} and -\frac{9}{2} for x_{2}.

$$2u^{2}+5u-18=2\left(u-2\right)\left(u-\left(-\frac{9}{2}\right)\right)$$

Simplify all the expressions of the form p-\left(-q\right) to p+q.

$$2u^{2}+5u-18=2\left(u-2\right)\left(u+\frac{9}{2}\right)$$

Add \frac{9}{2} to u by finding a common denominator and adding the numerators. Then reduce the fraction to lowest terms if possible.

$$2u^{2}+5u-18=2\left(u-2\right)\times \frac{2u+9}{2}$$

Cancel out 2, the greatest common factor in 2 and 2.

$$2u^{2}+5u-18=\left(u-2\right)\left(2u+9\right)$$

Steps Using Direct Factoring Method

Quadratic equations such as this one can be solved by a new direct factoring method that does not require guess work. To use the direct factoring method, the equation must be in the form x^2+Bx+C=0.This is achieved by dividing both sides of the equation by 2

$$x ^ 2 +\frac{5}{2}x -9 = 0$$

Let r and s be the factors for the quadratic equation such that x^2+Bx+C=(x−r)(x−s) where sum of factors (r+s)=−B and the product of factors rs = C

$$r + s = -\frac{5}{2} rs = -9$$

Two numbers r and s sum up to -\frac{5}{2} exactly when the average of the two numbers is \frac{1}{2}*-\frac{5}{2} = -\frac{5}{4}. You can also see that the midpoint of r and s corresponds to the axis of symmetry of the parabola represented by the quadratic equation y=x^2+Bx+C. The values of r and s are equidistant from the center by an unknown quantity u. Express r and s with respect to variable u. <div style='padding: 8px'><img src='https://opalmath.azureedge.net/customsolver/quadraticgraph.png' style='width: 100%;max-width: 700px' /></div>

$$r = -\frac{5}{4} - u s = -\frac{5}{4} + u$$

To solve for unknown quantity u, substitute these in the product equation rs = -9

$$(-\frac{5}{4} - u) (-\frac{5}{4} + u) = -9$$

Simplify by expanding (a -b) (a + b) = a^2 – b^2

$$\frac{25}{16} - u^2 = -9$$

Simplify the expression by subtracting \frac{25}{16} on both sides

$$-u^2 = -9-\frac{25}{16} = -\frac{169}{16}$$

Simplify the expression by multiplying -1 on both sides and take the square root to obtain the value of unknown variable u

$$u^2 = \frac{169}{16} u = \pm\sqrt{\frac{169}{16}} = \pm \frac{13}{4}$$

The factors r and s are the solutions to the quadratic equation. Substitute the value of u to compute the r and s.

$$r =-\frac{5}{4} - \frac{13}{4} = -4.500 s = -\frac{5}{4} + \frac{13}{4} = 2$$

Evaluate

$$\left(u-2\right)\left(2u+9\right)$$