x^2 - 9x + 20 = 0 | Solve by using formula.
Solution
Comparing $\rm x^{2} - 9x + 20 = 0$ with the general quadratic equation $\rm ax^{2} + bx + c = 0$, we get,
$\rm a = 1, b = -9, c = 20$
Using the quadratic formula to find the roots of the above quadratic equation:
$\rm x = \frac{ - b \pm \sqrt{ b^{2} - 4ac }}{2a}$
First, we calculate the discriminant of the quadratic equation:
$\rm (b^{2} - 4ac) = (-9)^{2} - 4 \cdot 1 \cdot 20 = 81 - 80 = 1$
Now,
$\rm x = \frac{ - b \pm \sqrt{ b^{2} - 4ac}}{2a}$
$\rm or, x = \frac{ - (-9) \pm \sqrt{1}}{2 \cdot 1}$
$\rm or, x = \frac{ 9 \pm 1}{2}$
Taking positive sign, we get,
$\rm x = \frac{ 9 + 1}{2}$
$\rm or, x = \frac{10}{2}$
$\rm \therefore x = 5$
Taking negative sign, we get,
$\rm x = \frac{ 9 - 1}{2}$
$\rm or, x = \frac{8}{2}$
$\rm \therefore x = 4$
Hence, the required values of x are x = {4, 5}.