What 2 numbers multiply to equal negative 180 and also add to 3?

Answer 1

15 and -12.

Here's one way to solve it using algebra:

Say the two numbers are x and y

Then x*y=-180 and x+y=3

The 2nd equation says that y=3-x

Substitute into the 1st equation:

x*(3-x) = -180

This generates a quadratic equation:

3x - x^2 = -180

In standard form:

x^2 - 3x - 180 = 0

If you can't factor this, use the quadratic formula to get the answer(s).

But maybe you can see that 12*15 makes 180 and they are only 3 apart...

Which yields the factoring:

x^2 - 3x - 180 = (x+12)(x-15)

Since (x+12)(x-15) = 0

the roots are x = -12 and x = 15