Solving a quadratic equation means that we are looking for an x-value that will result in an output of zero. In other words, we are looking for the coordinate pair (x, 0). In certain situations, factoring is the quickest, if not the easiest, method. However, not all quadratics are easily factored, especially when the solution is not a whole number. Well, if the quadratic is not easily factored, you can use the quadratic formula without too much fuss.
You will need to pay attention to keeping track of negatives and not making mistakes in performing the order of operations. However, if you mind your p’s and q’s, the quadratic formula should not intimidate. What this video for an overview of how to effectively use the quadratic formula. If you would like to see where the Quadratic Formula comes from, you can watch another of my videos on the Derivation of the Quadratic Formula, here.
