Solving the Equation (x-1)(x+3) = 0
This equation is already in factored form, making it very easy to find the roots.
Understanding the Zero Product Property
The Zero Product Property states that if the product of two or more factors is zero, then at least one of the factors must be zero.
In our equation, we have two factors: (x-1) and (x+3). For the product to equal zero, one or both of these factors must equal zero.
Finding the Roots
Let's set each factor equal to zero and solve for x:
- Factor 1: (x-1) = 0
- Add 1 to both sides: x = 1
- Factor 2: (x+3) = 0
- Subtract 3 from both sides: x = -3
Therefore, the roots of the equation (x-1)(x+3) = 0 are x = 1 and x = -3.
Verification
We can verify these roots by plugging them back into the original equation:
- For x = 1: (1-1)(1+3) = 0 * 4 = 0 (True)
- For x = -3: (-3-1)(-3+3) = -4 * 0 = 0 (True)
This confirms that our solutions are correct.