Mistake of the week-9

Math Vocabulary:

Coefficient– Number that represents a constant value, usually multiplies the expression.

Factorize/ factor/ factoring– In math factoring or to factor is to find the smallest numbers that multiplied together will give you the original number. This is used so you can work with simpler and smaller numbers.

Ex: 250= 25 x 10, you can still make those numbers smaller, 25= 5 x 5 and 10 = 2 x 5.

Therefore it will end up being 250 = 5 x 5 x 2 x 5.

Like terms– Terms that have the same base and same exponent. Ex: x and x^2 are not like terms because they do not share the same exponent. xy^3 and 4xy^3 are like terms because their variables and exponents are the same (the coefficient is the only thing that can different in like terms)

Binomial– An algebraic expression consisting of two terms. Ex: 24x – 8

Polynomial–  An algebraic expression consisting of more that two terms. Ex: 12^3 - 3x^7 + 5x - 10

Conjugate– Every binomial has a conjugate. This conjugate is the same binomial but you change the middle symbol. Ex: The conjugate of 2x + 8 is 2x – 8. As you can see you change the symbol between both terms.

Zero pairs– A set of two numbers that when added together equal zero.

Quadratic Equation– An equation in which the highest exponent of a function is 2. The equation has two solutions.

 

Best mistake of the week:

Chapter 5, page 312, #6b:

Solve the equation 4x^2 – 11x – 3 = 0, by using the quadratic formula.

 

My mistake:

When using the quadratic formula you have to pay attention to the symbols before the numbers (whether the number is negative or positive), I mistakenly wrote down the negative numbers as positive.

Why is this important? 

If you do not write down the things correctly it will change the solution, and it could even make it an impossible/prime equation.

 

What I did:

Using the quadratic formula is really easy, the only thing you need to do is to pay attention to the details of your equation.

Solution:

The solution is pretty straightforward because is a attention issue rather than a ability to solve math problems issue.

 

An easy way to avoid this it to put your numbers in brackets, this will help you focus better, and you will be able to write the right numbers and not get anything wrong.

Another example: