Are there two integers with a product of -12 and a sum of -3? Explain.
I said no, but how do I explain?
We have two integers, x and y.
x∗y=−12
x+y=−3
y=−3−x
x∗(−3−x)=−12
−x2−3x+12=0
Now, we can use the quadratic formula to find the two factors: −b±√b2−4ac2a.
3±√57−2, so the two roots are 3−√57−2 and 3+√57−2. These two numbers are the only numbers that have a product of −12 and a sum of −3, BUT, they are NOT integers.
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