How do you solve x squared plus x minus 12?

Answer 1

You need to factor it.

• Set it equal to zero

x2+x-12=0

• Find what adds up to equal 1 and multiplies together to equal 12, because 1 is the constant for the B and the constants for A and C multiply together to equal 12. Take these two numbers plus x and multiply them.

(x+4)(x-3)=0

• One of these factors needs to be zero to make the statement equal to zero so set them both equal to zero.

x+4=0, x-3=0

• Solve to find the two solutions for x.

x=-4, x=3

You can also use the quadratic formula, but factoring is easier when it's possible.