When the sum of 455 and four times a positive number is subtracted from the square of the number, the result is 117. Find the number.

Question

When the sum of $455$ and four times a positive number is subtracted from the square of the number, the result is $117$. Find the number.

Any thoughts on what to do first? How to set up a formula maybe?

score 2 · Accepted Answer · edited Sep 12 '13 at 19:01

2

The way I solve these problems is I start from the end. First I have $x^2$. Then the specific sum $(455+4\cdot x)$ is subtracted from that $x^2$.

The formula would then follow: $x^2 - (455+4\cdot x)$.

Clean it up and you have $x^2 - 4\cdot x - 455$.

Would you know how to figure out the positive number now?

Hope this helped

edited Sep 12 '13 at 19:01

Stefan4024

answered Sep 12 '13 at 01:32

Suzanne Frank

Wow, beautiful! That helped a lot. Found the number. Thank you for the help. – Aaron Sep 12 '13 at 01:48

1 Answers1