Solve 6x^2+13x-28

$$6 x ^ { 2 } + 13 x - 28$$

Factor

$$\left(3x-4\right)\left(2x+7\right)$$

Solution Steps

Factor the expression by grouping. First, the expression needs to be rewritten as 6x^{2}+ax+bx-28. To find a and b, set up a system to be solved.

$$a+b=13 ab=6\left(-28\right)=-168$$

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 -168.

$$-1,168 -2,84 -3,56 -4,42 -6,28 -7,24 -8,21 -12,14$$

Calculate the sum for each pair.

$$-1+168=167 -2+84=82 -3+56=53 -4+42=38 -6+28=22 -7+24=17 -8+21=13 -12+14=2$$

The solution is the pair that gives sum 13.

$$a=-8 b=21$$

Rewrite 6x^{2}+13x-28 as \left(6x^{2}-8x\right)+\left(21x-28\right).

$$\left(6x^{2}-8x\right)+\left(21x-28\right)$$

Factor out 2x in the first and 7 in the second group.

$$2x\left(3x-4\right)+7\left(3x-4\right)$$

Factor out common term 3x-4 by using distributive property.

$$\left(3x-4\right)\left(2x+7\right)$$

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.

$$6x^{2}+13x-28=0$$

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.

$$x=\frac{-13±\sqrt{13^{2}-4\times 6\left(-28\right)}}{2\times 6}$$

Square 13.

$$x=\frac{-13±\sqrt{169-4\times 6\left(-28\right)}}{2\times 6}$$

Multiply -4 times 6.

$$x=\frac{-13±\sqrt{169-24\left(-28\right)}}{2\times 6}$$

Multiply -24 times -28.

$$x=\frac{-13±\sqrt{169+672}}{2\times 6}$$

Add 169 to 672.

$$x=\frac{-13±\sqrt{841}}{2\times 6}$$

Take the square root of 841.

$$x=\frac{-13±29}{2\times 6}$$

Multiply 2 times 6.

$$x=\frac{-13±29}{12}$$

Now solve the equation x=\frac{-13±29}{12} when ± is plus. Add -13 to 29.

$$x=\frac{16}{12}$$

Reduce the fraction \frac{16}{12} to lowest terms by extracting and canceling out 4.

$$x=\frac{4}{3}$$

Now solve the equation x=\frac{-13±29}{12} when ± is minus. Subtract 29 from -13.

$$x=-\frac{42}{12}$$

Reduce the fraction \frac{-42}{12} to lowest terms by extracting and canceling out 6.

$$x=-\frac{7}{2}$$

Factor the original expression using ax^{2}+bx+c=a\left(x-x_{1}\right)\left(x-x_{2}\right). Substitute \frac{4}{3} for x_{1} and -\frac{7}{2} for x_{2}.

$$6x^{2}+13x-28=6\left(x-\frac{4}{3}\right)\left(x-\left(-\frac{7}{2}\right)\right)$$

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

$$6x^{2}+13x-28=6\left(x-\frac{4}{3}\right)\left(x+\frac{7}{2}\right)$$

Subtract \frac{4}{3} from x by finding a common denominator and subtracting the numerators. Then reduce the fraction to lowest terms if possible.

$$6x^{2}+13x-28=6\times \frac{3x-4}{3}\left(x+\frac{7}{2}\right)$$

Add \frac{7}{2} to x by finding a common denominator and adding the numerators. Then reduce the fraction to lowest terms if possible.

$$6x^{2}+13x-28=6\times \frac{3x-4}{3}\times \frac{2x+7}{2}$$

Multiply \frac{3x-4}{3} times \frac{2x+7}{2} by multiplying numerator times numerator and denominator times denominator. Then reduce the fraction to lowest terms if possible.

$$6x^{2}+13x-28=6\times \frac{\left(3x-4\right)\left(2x+7\right)}{3\times 2}$$

Multiply 3 times 2.

$$6x^{2}+13x-28=6\times \frac{\left(3x-4\right)\left(2x+7\right)}{6}$$

Cancel out 6, the greatest common factor in 6 and 6.

$$6x^{2}+13x-28=\left(3x-4\right)\left(2x+7\right)$$

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 6

$$x ^ 2 +\frac{13}{6}x -\frac{14}{3} = 0$$

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

$$r + s = -\frac{13}{6} rs = -\frac{14}{3}$$

Two numbers r and s sum up to -\frac{13}{6} exactly when the average of the two numbers is \frac{1}{2}*-\frac{13}{6} = -\frac{13}{12}. 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>

$$r = -\frac{13}{12} - u s = -\frac{13}{12} + u$$

To solve for unknown quantity u, substitute these in the product equation rs = -\frac{14}{3}

$$(-\frac{13}{12} - u) (-\frac{13}{12} + u) = -\frac{14}{3}$$

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

$$\frac{169}{144} - u^2 = -\frac{14}{3}$$

Simplify the expression by subtracting \frac{169}{144} on both sides

$$-u^2 = -\frac{14}{3}-\frac{169}{144} = -\frac{841}{144}$$

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

$$u^2 = \frac{841}{144} u = \pm\sqrt{\frac{841}{144}} = \pm \frac{29}{12}$$

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

$$r =-\frac{13}{12} - \frac{29}{12} = -3.500 s = -\frac{13}{12} + \frac{29}{12} = 1.333$$

Evaluate

$$\left(3x-4\right)\left(2x+7\right)$$