Basic question, guys. I don't feel like its worth starting a topic on this. I want to factorize x²-64. That's the same as x² + 0x - 64. Now I have to find 2 numbers that add up to 0, and are the product of -64. Therefore I set up the following system of equations:
a - b = 0
a * b = -64
a-b=0 would be the same as a = b, now substitute that into second equation:
b² = - 64. How can something squared equal -64? I already know the two numbers I'm looking for are -8 and 8, but if we say a = b, then thats false since -8 does not equal 8... Can someone clear my confusion?