Solve 5x-6-x^2

$$5x-6- { x }^{ 2 }$$

Factor

$$\left(2-x\right)\left(x-3\right)$$

Solution Steps

Rearrange the polynomial to put it in standard form. Place the terms in order from highest to lowest power.

$$-x^{2}+5x-6$$

Factor the expression by grouping. First, the expression needs to be rewritten as -x^{2}+ax+bx-6. To find a and b, set up a system to be solved.

$$a+b=5 ab=-\left(-6\right)=6$$

Since ab is positive, a and b have the same sign. Since a+b is positive, a and b are both positive. List all such integer pairs that give product 6.

$$1,6 2,3$$

Calculate the sum for each pair.

$$1+6=7 2+3=5$$

The solution is the pair that gives sum 5.

$$a=3 b=2$$

Rewrite -x^{2}+5x-6 as \left(-x^{2}+3x\right)+\left(2x-6\right).

$$\left(-x^{2}+3x\right)+\left(2x-6\right)$$

Factor out -x in the first and 2 in the second group.

$$-x\left(x-3\right)+2\left(x-3\right)$$

Factor out common term x-3 by using distributive property.

$$\left(x-3\right)\left(-x+2\right)$$

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.

$$-x^{2}+5x-6=0$$

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.

$$x=\frac{-5±\sqrt{5^{2}-4\left(-1\right)\left(-6\right)}}{2\left(-1\right)}$$

Square 5.

$$x=\frac{-5±\sqrt{25-4\left(-1\right)\left(-6\right)}}{2\left(-1\right)}$$

Multiply -4 times -1.

$$x=\frac{-5±\sqrt{25+4\left(-6\right)}}{2\left(-1\right)}$$

Multiply 4 times -6.

$$x=\frac{-5±\sqrt{25-24}}{2\left(-1\right)}$$

Add 25 to -24.

$$x=\frac{-5±\sqrt{1}}{2\left(-1\right)}$$

Take the square root of 1.

$$x=\frac{-5±1}{2\left(-1\right)}$$

Multiply 2 times -1.

$$x=\frac{-5±1}{-2}$$

Now solve the equation x=\frac{-5±1}{-2} when ± is plus. Add -5 to 1.

$$x=-\frac{4}{-2}$$

Divide -4 by -2.

$$x=2$$

Now solve the equation x=\frac{-5±1}{-2} when ± is minus. Subtract 1 from -5.

$$x=-\frac{6}{-2}$$

Divide -6 by -2.

$$x=3$$

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 3 for x_{2}.

$$-x^{2}+5x-6=-\left(x-2\right)\left(x-3\right)$$

Evaluate

$$\left(2-x\right)\left(x-3\right)$$