Let's solve the quadratic equation given by
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Move all terms to one side:
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Now, we want to factor the quadratic expression
. To factor this, we need two numbers that multiply to (the constant term) and add to (the coefficient of the linear term). The numbers and meet these criteria. So, we can factor as follows: -
Using the Zero Product Property, we set each factor equal to zero:
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The solutions to the equation are:
Evaluation of Solutions
Now, we can evaluate the solutions provided by Jamal and George. Assuming each used the Zero Product Property after step 2, we can analyze their reasoning based on the correctness of their factoring and subsequent solutions.
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Jamal's work:
- If Jamal correctly factored
as and obtained and , then his work is accurate.
- If Jamal correctly factored
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George's work:
- If George made a mistake in factoring (for example, if he factored it incorrectlly, such as
), he would derive a different set of roots and thus have inaccurate solutions.
- If George made a mistake in factoring (for example, if he factored it incorrectlly, such as
Identifying the Correct Solution
To determine whose solution is correct, you would check the factorizations and the resulting roots:
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For the correct solution:
- Check that
and indeed multiply to . - Verify that each solution satisfies the original equation.
- Check that
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For the incorrect solution:
- If the product does not yield
upon expansion, or if substituting the incorrect solutions into the original equation does not satisfy it, then the solution is wrong.
- If the product does not yield
Conclusion
The accurate solutions are confirmed by correctly applying the Zero Product Property to the factored quadratic