Professional Documents
Culture Documents
1
=
1
-1
So how do we solve the equation
1
=
1
-1
? First of all we cross multiply:
( - 1) = 1
2
- = 1
Uhoh, we have a squared term. That means we will need to use the quadratic formula to solve it. You
remember the quadratic formula, right?
If ox
2
+ bx + c = u then x =
-b _b
2
- 4oc
2o
So we need to take our equation and put it into the right form by subtracting 1 from each side:
2
- -1 = u
Hmmm What are a, b, and c? Well, since any number is equal to 1 times itself, therefore:
2
= 1
2
, so o = 1,
- = -1, so b = -1,
c = -1
Putting that into the quadratic formula gives us:
Page 5 of 5
=
-(-1) _(-1)
2
-4(1)(-1)
2(1)
=
1 _ 1 - (-4)
2
=
1 _ S
2
Because of the , this would give us two solutions. But one of the solutions is negative, which is
irrelevant to us, so we will only calculate with the +. On my calculator that comes out to 1.61803.