How do you factor this? ...hah idk how to get the 2 numbers to add to the middle one.?

Question

I have to factor

x^2 - x - 6

That doesn't make any sense to me on how to do it..

Answer 1

-6 = (-3) (+2)

-3 + 2 = -1

(x-3)(x+2)

Answer 2

Find factors of -6 that add up to -1 (because of the -x)

- 6 = -3 * 2   and -3 + 2 = -1 so perfect !

(x - 3) ( x + 2)

and when you FOIL and check, it works !

Good luck to you !

Answer 3

The third coefficient is negative, which means that one factor is negative, and the other positive....

(x - 3)(x + 2)

Answer 4

The general form of a quadratic formula is ax^2 + bx + c. To factor when a = 1 (in other words, when it begins with x^2), find two integers that give a product of c, but give a sum of b. For example, to factor this one, find two integers that multiply to equal -6, but add to equal -1, which are -3 and 2:

x^2 - x - 6

(x + 2)(x - 3) <===ANSWER

Answer 5

What are the common factors of 6?  6 and 1, 3 and 2.

Now can you multiply either of those factors so that they sum to -1?

The answer is yes.

(X-3)(X+2) = X^2-X-6