Monday, July 20, 2009

Types of fractions

A fraction is a number that can represent part of a whole.
The earliest fractions were reciprocals of integers, symbols representing one half, one third, one quarter, and so on.A much later development were the common or "vulgar" fractions which are still used today, and which consist of a numerator and a denominator, the numerator representing a number of equal parts and the denominator telling how many of those parts make up a whole. An example is 3/4, in which the numerator, 3, tells us that the fraction represents 3 equal parts, and the denominator, 4, tells us that 4 parts make up a whole.

There are 3 types of fractions.
1).Proper Fractions
When a fraction's numerator is lesser than the denominator, this fraction is a proper fraction.
Below are some examples:
5/20 , 3/8 , 7/8
2).Improper FractionsA fraction is considered as an improper fraction when its numerator is greater or equals to the denominator.
Below are some examples:
8/7, 2/1 , 20/6 , 5/5
3).mixed fraction:
A mixed number has a part that is a whole number and a part that is a fraction.
Below are some examples:
1¼ , 3½ , 5¾

For more help on this ,you can reply me.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

How to solve a quadratic equation

Topic:- quadratic equation

A quadratic equations is very similar to a a polynomial equation but it is of the second degree. The general form is
ax^2+bx+c=0,\,
where x represents a variable, and a, b, and c, represent constants, with a ≠ 0. (If a = 0, the equation becomes a linear equation.)
The constants a, b, and c, are called respectively, the quadratic coefficient, the linear coefficient and the constant term or free term. Quadratic comes from quadratus, which is the Latin word for "square."

This math help is having a example as well.

Question:-

Solve
x2+8x+2=0

Answer:-

 x2+8x+2=0

Completion of squares:-

x2+8x= -2

Take half of 8,square it and add it on both sides

half of 8 is 4

Squaring 4 ,we get 16.


Add 16 on both sides of above equation.

x2+8x+16= -2+16

(x+4)2= 14

Taking squaring on both sides


x+4 = √14

 x= -4 + √14 or -4 - √14

For more help on this ,please reply me.