Solve x+12-x^2

$$x + 12 - x ^ { 2 }$$

Factor

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

Solution Steps

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

$$-x^{2}+x+12$$

Factor the expression by grouping. First, the expression needs to be rewritten as -x^{2}+ax+bx+12. To find a and b, set up a system to be solved.

$$a+b=1 ab=-12=-12$$

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 -12.

$$-1,12 -2,6 -3,4$$

Calculate the sum for each pair.

$$-1+12=11 -2+6=4 -3+4=1$$

The solution is the pair that gives sum 1.

$$a=4 b=-3$$

Rewrite -x^{2}+x+12 as \left(-x^{2}+4x\right)+\left(-3x+12\right).

$$\left(-x^{2}+4x\right)+\left(-3x+12\right)$$

Factor out -x in the first and -3 in the second group.

$$-x\left(x-4\right)-3\left(x-4\right)$$

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

$$\left(x-4\right)\left(-x-3\right)$$

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.

$$-x^{2}+x+12=0$$

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.

$$x=\frac{-1±\sqrt{1^{2}-4\left(-1\right)\times 12}}{2\left(-1\right)}$$

Square 1.

$$x=\frac{-1±\sqrt{1-4\left(-1\right)\times 12}}{2\left(-1\right)}$$

Multiply -4 times -1.

$$x=\frac{-1±\sqrt{1+4\times 12}}{2\left(-1\right)}$$

Multiply 4 times 12.

$$x=\frac{-1±\sqrt{1+48}}{2\left(-1\right)}$$

Add 1 to 48.

$$x=\frac{-1±\sqrt{49}}{2\left(-1\right)}$$

Take the square root of 49.

$$x=\frac{-1±7}{2\left(-1\right)}$$

Multiply 2 times -1.

$$x=\frac{-1±7}{-2}$$

Now solve the equation x=\frac{-1±7}{-2} when ± is plus. Add -1 to 7.

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

Divide 6 by -2.

$$x=-3$$

Now solve the equation x=\frac{-1±7}{-2} when ± is minus. Subtract 7 from -1.

$$x=-\frac{8}{-2}$$

Divide -8 by -2.

$$x=4$$

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

$$-x^{2}+x+12=-\left(x-\left(-3\right)\right)\left(x-4\right)$$

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

$$-x^{2}+x+12=-\left(x+3\right)\left(x-4\right)$$

Evaluate

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