The Quadratic Formula

In this section, we learn how to solve any quadratic equation using the quadratic formula. So far, we have only seen how to solve a quadratic equation using factoring or completing the square. Factoring is an easy method but does not work in every situation. We can always use completing the square, but the process is extremely tedious. The quadratic formula provides a quick and easy method to solve any quadratic equation. To use the quadratic formula, we begin by placing the equation in standard form:$$ax^2+bx+c=0$$We then take the parameters: a (the coefficient for the squared variable), b (the coefficient for the variable raised to the first power), and c ( the constant term), and plug them into the quadratic formula: $$x=\frac{-b\pm \sqrt{b^2-4ac}}{2a}$$