Factorization Question

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Paul

Is it possible to calculate the following progmatically or with a formula?

(x^2+7x-30)

Thanks in advance
 
For a given value of X you can calculate the value of x² +7x -30 with
=A1^2+7*A1-30 where A1 holds the value of x

But this is not factorizing. Please clarify " to calculate the following"
best wishes
 
Thanks for the quick response, apologies if it was unclear

If you calculate (x^2+7x-30) manually the answer hopefully is (x+10)(x-3) is
it possible to achieve this result with Excel?

Regards

Paul
 
Hi. These should give the two solutions, where b=7, and c=-30

= (-b + Sqrt(Power(b,2) - 4*c))/ 2
= (-b - Sqrt(Power(b,2) - 4*c))/ 2

HTH
Dana DeLouis
 
Thanks for the quick response, apologies if it was unclear

If you calculate (x^2+7x-30) manually the answer hopefully is (x+10)(x-3) is
it possible to achieve this result with Excel?

Regards

Paul
Click to expand...

You might be interested in a computer algebra program (free) called Maxima
http://maxima.sourceforge.net/

With input of:

x^2+7*x-30

Factor --> (x-3)*(x+10)

and you can solve for 'x'

[x=-10,x=3]
--ron
 
  = (-b + Sqrt(Power(b,2) - 4*c))/ 2
  = (-b - Sqrt(Power(b,2) - 4*c))/ 2
Click to expand...

Why use the POWER function instead of the exponential operator (^)?
In other words, why not b^2?

PS: Although the quadratic equation that you wrote above works for
Paul's polynomial, since you wrote it in the general form, I would
write the denominator as (2*a), where "a" is the coefficient of the
x^2 term. In Paul's case, a=1.

Note to Paul: What Dana provided are the "roots" of polynomial, not
the "factors". To answer your question: no, Excel itself cannot
provide the factors. "Is it possible" to do programmatically?
Probably; but I doubt that it's easy.
 
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