Factor: h^2+3h-10

1 answer

To factor the quadratic expression \( h^2 + 3h - 10 \), we need to find two numbers that multiply to \(-10\) (the constant term) and add to \(3\) (the coefficient of the linear term).

The two numbers that fit these criteria are \(5\) and \(-2\), because:

  • \(5 \times (-2) = -10\)
  • \(5 + (-2) = 3\)

Using these numbers, we can factor the expression as follows:

\[ h^2 + 3h - 10 = (h + 5)(h - 2) \]

So, the factored form of \( h^2 + 3h - 10 \) is:

\[ (h + 5)(h - 2) \]