Solve 6x^2-37x+6

$$6 x ^ { 2 } - 37 x + 6$$

Factor

$$\left(x-6\right)\left(6x-1\right)$$

Solution Steps

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

$$a+b=-37 ab=6\times 6=36$$

Since ab is positive, a and b have the same sign. Since a+b is negative, a and b are both 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.

$$-1-36=-37 -2-18=-20 -3-12=-15 -4-9=-13 -6-6=-12$$

The solution is the pair that gives sum -37.

$$a=-36 b=-1$$

Rewrite 6x^{2}-37x+6 as \left(6x^{2}-36x\right)+\left(-x+6\right).

$$\left(6x^{2}-36x\right)+\left(-x+6\right)$$

Factor out 6x in the first and -1 in the second group.

$$6x\left(x-6\right)-\left(x-6\right)$$

Factor out common term x-6 by using distributive property.

$$\left(x-6\right)\left(6x-1\right)$$

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.

$$6x^{2}-37x+6=0$$

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.

$$x=\frac{-\left(-37\right)±\sqrt{\left(-37\right)^{2}-4\times 6\times 6}}{2\times 6}$$

Square -37.

$$x=\frac{-\left(-37\right)±\sqrt{1369-4\times 6\times 6}}{2\times 6}$$

Multiply -4 times 6.

$$x=\frac{-\left(-37\right)±\sqrt{1369-24\times 6}}{2\times 6}$$

Multiply -24 times 6.

$$x=\frac{-\left(-37\right)±\sqrt{1369-144}}{2\times 6}$$

Add 1369 to -144.

$$x=\frac{-\left(-37\right)±\sqrt{1225}}{2\times 6}$$

Take the square root of 1225.

$$x=\frac{-\left(-37\right)±35}{2\times 6}$$

The opposite of -37 is 37.

$$x=\frac{37±35}{2\times 6}$$

Multiply 2 times 6.

$$x=\frac{37±35}{12}$$

Now solve the equation x=\frac{37±35}{12} when ± is plus. Add 37 to 35.

$$x=\frac{72}{12}$$

Divide 72 by 12.

$$x=6$$

Now solve the equation x=\frac{37±35}{12} when ± is minus. Subtract 35 from 37.

$$x=\frac{2}{12}$$

Reduce the fraction \frac{2}{12} to lowest terms by extracting and canceling out 2.

$$x=\frac{1}{6}$$

Factor the original expression using ax^{2}+bx+c=a\left(x-x_{1}\right)\left(x-x_{2}\right). Substitute 6 for x_{1} and \frac{1}{6} for x_{2}.

$$6x^{2}-37x+6=6\left(x-6\right)\left(x-\frac{1}{6}\right)$$

Subtract \frac{1}{6} from x by finding a common denominator and subtracting the numerators. Then reduce the fraction to lowest terms if possible.

$$6x^{2}-37x+6=6\left(x-6\right)\times \frac{6x-1}{6}$$

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

$$6x^{2}-37x+6=\left(x-6\right)\left(6x-1\right)$$

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

$$x ^ 2 -\frac{37}{6}x +1 = 0$$

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

$$r + s = \frac{37}{6} rs = 1$$

Two numbers r and s sum up to \frac{37}{6} exactly when the average of the two numbers is \frac{1}{2}*\frac{37}{6} = \frac{37}{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-gzdabgg4ehffg0hf.b01.azurefd.net/customsolver/quadraticgraph.png' style='width: 100%;max-width: 700px' /></div>

$$r = \frac{37}{12} - u s = \frac{37}{12} + u$$

To solve for unknown quantity u, substitute these in the product equation rs = 1

$$(\frac{37}{12} - u) (\frac{37}{12} + u) = 1$$

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

$$\frac{1369}{144} - u^2 = 1$$

Simplify the expression by subtracting \frac{1369}{144} on both sides

$$-u^2 = 1-\frac{1369}{144} = -\frac{1225}{144}$$

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

$$u^2 = \frac{1225}{144} u = \pm\sqrt{\frac{1225}{144}} = \pm \frac{35}{12}$$

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

$$r =\frac{37}{12} - \frac{35}{12} = 0.167 s = \frac{37}{12} + \frac{35}{12} = 6$$

Evaluate

$$\left(x-6\right)\left(6x-1\right)$$