For this problem we'll pretend that ~ means square root. Now, I need to simplify -80 +or - ~300 all over 50. ?

Question

It's been years since I've taken a math class...The answer is -8/5 +or - ~3/5. How do I get from ~300 to ~3/5 Any help would be great!

Answer 1

How about using sqrt for square root like most other people in the math section do?  

Then  [-80 +/- sqrt(300)]/50 is the legible version of your problem.  Don't go reinventing the wheel with symbols please.  

sqrt(300)= 10 sqrt(3).  Put this in above and simplify, and the answer pops out in a neat little package.  

Answer 2

So you've got  (-80 ±√300) / 50 ?

√300  =  Ã¢ÂˆÂš(3 x 100)  =  Ã¢ÂˆÂš3  x  Ã¢ÂˆÂš100   =   √3 x 10, which can be written  10√3

So we can replace √300  by  10√3, giving you

(-80 ± 10√3) / 50

Each term in this expression contains a factor  10, so you can divide by  10 to give

(-8 ± √3) / 5

or, if you want to separate the two possible solutions :

(-8 + √3) / 5   or  (-8 - √3) / 5

Q. E. D. !