Question

If b (middle term) is negative and c (last term is positive) then what do you know about the two factors? ex. 2x^2-7x+6

Answer 1

Answer:

  signs of the constants in the binomial factors are negative

Step-by-step explanation:

Assuming the first term (a) is positive, the fact that c is negative means the constants in the binomial factors have the same sign. The negative b means that sign is negative.

  2x^2 -7x +6 = (x -2)(2x -3)

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Further comment

c is the product of the constants in the binomial factors so will be positive when both those constants have the same sign.

b is the sum of the constants in the binomial factors. If both factors have the same sign (c > 0), then those constants have the same sign as b.

In this analysis, "a" is assumed to be positive. If it is not, then the same analysis can be done after reversing all of the signs.