{"appState":{"pageLoadApiCallsStatus":true},"articleState":{"article":{"headers":{"creationTime":"2016-03-26T15:12:02+00:00","modifiedTime":"2016-03-26T15:12:02+00:00","timestamp":"2022-09-14T18:05:19+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Academics & The Arts","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33662"},"slug":"academics-the-arts","categoryId":33662},{"name":"Math","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33720"},"slug":"math","categoryId":33720},{"name":"Pre-Calculus","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33727"},"slug":"pre-calculus","categoryId":33727}],"title":"How to Solve a Quadratic Equation When It Won’t Factor","strippedTitle":"how to solve a quadratic equation when it won’t factor","slug":"how-to-solve-a-quadratic-equation-when-it-wont-factor","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"When asked to solve a quadratic equation that you just can’t seem to factor (or that just doesn’t factor), you have to employ other ways of solving the equation","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"When asked to solve a quadratic equation that you just can’t seem to factor (or that just doesn’t factor), you have to employ other ways of solving the equation, such as by using the quadratic formula. The quadratic formula is the formula used to solve for the variable in a quadratic equation in standard form. \nGiven a quadratic equation in standard form ax2 + bx + c = 0,\n<img src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/370056.image0.png\" width=\"137\" height=\"43\" alt=\"image0.png\"/>\nBefore you apply the formula, it’s a good idea to rewrite the equation in standard form (if it isn’t already) and figure out the a, b, and c values.\nFor example, to solve x2 – 3x + 1 = 0, you first say that a = 1, b = –3, and c = 1. The a, b, and c terms simply plug into the formula to give you the values for x:\n<img src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/370057.image1.png\" width=\"199\" height=\"60\" alt=\"image1.png\"/>\nSimplify this formula one time to get\n<img src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/370058.image2.png\" width=\"104\" height=\"40\" alt=\"image2.png\"/>\nSimplify further to get your final answer, which is two x values (the x-intercepts):\n<img src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/370059.image3.png\" width=\"79\" height=\"40\" alt=\"image3.png\"/>","description":"When asked to solve a quadratic equation that you just can’t seem to factor (or that just doesn’t factor), you have to employ other ways of solving the equation, such as by using the quadratic formula. The quadratic formula is the formula used to solve for the variable in a quadratic equation in standard form. \nGiven a quadratic equation in standard form ax2 + bx + c = 0,\n<img src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/370056.image0.png\" width=\"137\" height=\"43\" alt=\"image0.png\"/>\nBefore you apply the formula, it’s a good idea to rewrite the equation in standard form (if it isn’t already) and figure out the a, b, and c values.\nFor example, to solve x2 – 3x + 1 = 0, you first say that a = 1, b = –3, and c = 1. The a, b, and c terms simply plug into the formula to give you the values for x:\n<img src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/370057.image1.png\" width=\"199\" height=\"60\" alt=\"image1.png\"/>\nSimplify this formula one time to get\n<img src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/370058.image2.png\" width=\"104\" height=\"40\" alt=\"image2.png\"/>\nSimplify further to get your final answer, which is two x values (the x-intercepts):\n<img src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/370059.image3.png\" width=\"79\" height=\"40\" alt=\"image3.png\"/>","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":9703,"name":"Yang Kuang","slug":"yang-kuang","description":"","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9703"}},{"authorId":9704,"name":"Elleyne Kase","slug":"elleyne-kase","description":"","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9704"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":33727,"title":"Pre-Calculus","slug":"pre-calculus","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33727"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":[{"articleId":175788,"title":"Trig Identities for Pre-Calculus","slug":"trig-identities-for-pre-calculus","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","math","pre-calculus"],"_links":{"self":"/articles/175788"}},{"articleId":147241,"title":"How to Use the Z-Table","slug":"how-to-use-the-z-table","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","math","statistics"],"_links":{"self":"/articles/147241"}},{"articleId":192609,"title":"How to Pray the Rosary: A Comprehensive Guide","slug":"how-to-pray-the-rosary","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","religion-spirituality","christianity","catholicism"],"_links":{"self":"/articles/192609"}},{"articleId":232914,"title":"The Flop, Turn, and River Cards in Texas Hold'em","slug":"flop-turn-river-cards-texas-holdem","categoryList":["home-auto-hobbies","games","card-games","poker"],"_links":{"self":"/articles/232914"}},{"articleId":193770,"title":"How to Play Rummy: All You Need to Know","slug":"rummy-understanding-the-rules-and-starting-a-game","categoryList":["home-auto-hobbies","games","card-games","general-card-games"],"_links":{"self":"/articles/193770"}}],"inThisArticle":[],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":262884,"title":"10 Pre-Calculus Missteps to Avoid","slug":"10-pre-calculus-missteps-to-avoid","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","math","pre-calculus"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/262884"}},{"articleId":262851,"title":"Pre-Calculus Review of Real Numbers","slug":"pre-calculus-review-of-real-numbers","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","math","pre-calculus"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/262851"}},{"articleId":262837,"title":"Fundamentals of Pre-Calculus","slug":"fundamentals-of-pre-calculus","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","math","pre-calculus"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/262837"}},{"articleId":262652,"title":"Complex Numbers and Polar Coordinates","slug":"complex-numbers-and-polar-coordinates","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","math","pre-calculus"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/262652"}},{"articleId":260218,"title":"Special Function Types and Their Graphs","slug":"special-function-types-and-their-graphs","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","math","pre-calculus"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/260218"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":true,"relatedBook":{"bookId":282498,"slug":"pre-calculus-for-dummies-1001-practice-problems","isbn":"9781119883623","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","math","pre-calculus"],"amazon":{"default":"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119883628/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","ca":"https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1119883628/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","indigo_ca":"http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-9208661-13710633?url=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/1119883628-item.html&cjsku=978111945484","gb":"https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1119883628/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","de":"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/1119883628/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20"},"image":{"src":"https://www.dummies.com/covers/9781119883623.jpg","width":250,"height":350},"title":"Pre-Calculus: 1001 Practice Problems For Dummies (+ Free Online Practice)","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":true,"authorsInfo":"\n Mary Jane Sterling was a professor of mathematics at Bradley University. 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How to Solve a Quadratic Equation When It Won’t Factor

By: Yang Kuang and Elleyne Kase and

Updated: 03-26-2016

Pre-Calculus: 1001 Practice Problems For Dummies (+ Free Online Practice)

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When asked to solve a quadratic equation that you just can’t seem to factor (or that just doesn’t factor), you have to employ other ways of solving the equation, such as by using the quadratic formula. The quadratic formula is the formula used to solve for the variable in a quadratic equation in standard form.

Given a quadratic equation in standard form ax² + bx + c = 0,

Before you apply the formula, it’s a good idea to rewrite the equation in standard form (if it isn’t already) and figure out the a, b, and c values.

For example, to solve x² – 3x + 1 = 0, you first say that a = 1, b = –3, and c = 1. The a, b, and c terms simply plug into the formula to give you the values for x:

Simplify this formula one time to get

Simplify further to get your final answer, which is two x values (the x-intercepts):

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How to Solve a Quadratic Equation When It Won’t Factor

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