Name: Solving quadratics by factoring: solution walkthrough
Uploaded: 2026-11-13
Duration: 1 min 34 s
Description: What is the positive solution of the equation x² - 3x - 10 = 0? Try it, then watch the animated solution.

A solution is an

x

that makes

x^2 - 3x - 10

equal

0

: a place where the graph crosses the

x

-axis.

Factor the left side.

{-5}

and

2

multiply to

{-10}

and add to

{-3}

, so it is

(x - 5)(x + 2)

.

A product is

0

only when one of its factors is

0

. So

x - 5 = 0

or

x + 2 = 0

.

The solutions are

x = 5

and

x = {-2}

. The question asks for the positive one, which is

5

.

Traps:

2

drops the sign of

{-2}

,

3

is the sum of the two solutions, and

10

is the constant term.

Try it first