How come on my quiz my teacher wrote y^2+49 cannot be factored. Can someone tell me y?

G

gimpy

New member
It's because of the plus sign. In order for the problem to be solved, it had to be y^2 - 49. Otherwise for that kind of problem, if it has a plus sign, it cannot be factored.
 
Hi,

I had this problem a lot in algebra too. It took me forever - but there is one rule that you must remember for the rest of your math career. ALWAYS ===

THE SUM OF TWO SQUARES IS NOT FACTORABLE.

I don't have this in caps to be yelling at you - just for emphasis. The sum of two squares is never, ever, ever, ever factorable. No exceptions.
 
It's because of the plus sign. In order for the problem to be solved, it had to be y^2 - 49. Otherwise for that kind of problem, if it has a plus sign, it cannot be factored.
 
Your factored would = Y sq + 14 y + 49

The teachers equation probably says Y sq + 49 = 0
so . . . Y sq = - 49
And since Y as a single integer can only be +Y OR -Y ,
Once squared it would be positive , only a pos number times a neg number can result in a neg number .
The squaring of any number is always positive .

good luck

>
 
Hi,

I had this problem a lot in algebra too. It took me forever - but there is one rule that you must remember for the rest of your math career. ALWAYS ===

THE SUM OF TWO SQUARES IS NOT FACTORABLE.

I don't have this in caps to be yelling at you - just for emphasis. The sum of two squares is never, ever, ever, ever factorable. No exceptions.
 
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