Quadratic equations always have 2 solutions. The solutions may be 2 real numbers (think of a parabola crossing the x axis at 2 different points) or it could have a "double root" real solution (think of a parabola just touching the x-axis at its vertex), or it can have complex roots (which will be complex conjugates of each other). For the last scenario, the graph of the parabola will not touch the x axis.
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There are an infinite number of different quadratic equations. The quadratic formula is a single formula that can be used to find the pair of solutions to every quadratic equation.
Factoring by the AC method, difference of squares, perfect square trinomial. If not factorable by those ways, you can use the quadratic formula. You can also find zeros by synthetic division. If there are not any real solutions, then the solutions are said to be complex, they do not cross the x axis.
The equation is -x2 - 4 = 14 or -x2 = 18 which is the same as x2 = -18. That is the quadratic equation.
Plug 'a', 'b', and 'c' from the equation into the formula. When you do that, the formula becomes a pair of numbers ... one number when you pick the 'plus' sign, and another number when you pick the 'minus' sign. Those two numbers are the 'solutions' to the quadratic equation you started with.