K: In front of you you have three problems.

I am going to ask you some questions about solving

equations and I am very interested in how come up with your answers so if you could talk me
through what it is youre doing or thinking or the process you are going through. This isnt
graded and does not have any connection to your class so you shouldnt worry about getting
correct answers. All you have to do for each equation go ahead and solve for x.
S: Ok so for the first one, I would make it equal to zero first and then I would use the quadratic
formula to solve.
K: Ok
S: Do you want me to say all of my processes?
K: That would be great. As much as you can.

and then 21 cannot be simplified. It is not a perfect

square. I just leave it as that. So the x would equal 7 and we would just leave it like

that.
S: Okay so

7 and then

K: And you said you used the quadratic formula. How did you know to use the quadratic
formula?
S: Since it is a positive, er uh even root and I mean it is a quadratic equation because it is x to
the second power.
K: Sure, gotcha.
S: And then for this one, I would probably factor this out so x-2 times x-2 which is x^2 and I use
the foil method so first, outer... So it ends up being x 24 x + 4 and that all times 2. So it ends
up being 2 x 28 x +85 . And that equals 2 x 28 x +3. The 2x^2s cancel out on each
side. So it is -8x+8=-8x+3. And then the 8xs cancel out. Well then it is 8=3 but that doesnt
make sense. Well, no. 3=3. Which is true.
K: Wait how did you get 3=3? Where did that...
S: The 5 right here. Minus 5. 8-5=3. But that doesnt solve for x so. Um. I dont know. Wait.
checking work
K: Why doesnt it make sense? What part is kind of confusing?
S: Well, since you are trying to make it equal...well no. It is a true statement. This does equal
that. But you want me to solve for x.

K: Correct.
S: So I just solved for the two sides. Um, yea. I dont know. Im not really sure how to solve for it.
K: That is ok. You can move on if you want to or
S: Yea.
K: Ok.
S: Yea I probably will. Sorry.
K: No, you shouldnt be sorry. I will ask you...you started out by simplifying. What was it about
the problem that made you think Oh I need to simplify here.?
S: Well since this is squared and if you use PEMDAS, the exponent comes before the
multiplication.
K: What is PEMDAS?
S: Parentheses, exponents, multiplication, division, addition, subtraction.
K: Gotcha. Ok.
S: So if you use that rule then this would come first and I would distribute that and just simplify it
down. But maybe if I didnt do that then maybe I would get x. Moving on to the next problem. So
then I would get this equation equal to zero. So I add x so x^2 ..it ends up equaling x^2 +
2x +5=0. And then I would use the quad formula again so. 2 . Since it is a

negative I am going to do

4i
. And that is what x would equal because you cant simplify
2

it down.
K: Will you tell me about this 4i?
S: Well since 16 is a perfect square
K: Ok
S: it would be 4 and i is like multiplying it because it is an imaginary number. I think. i=-1
because you cannot have a negative under a radical and still solve it. So technically it is like 4 x
-1 is 4i but you cant use -1. You cant really simplify this because it is un true. You cant take the
square root of -16.

K: And why cant you take the square root of a negative number? Do you know why you cant
take the square root of a negative number?
S: Because a negative...it would have to be a negative and a positive. I think. The square root is
two of the same numbers multiplied by each other and it would have to be a negative and a
positive. It just wont work.
K: Ok, good. And...Lets see you used the quadratic formula here and you used simplifying here
and quadratic here. Can you you think of another way to solve for these?
S: By factoring.
K: Ok
S: I am not good at that because...I dont know. But what you would do is you find a number so
in the first equation that multiplies to get 7 and then added together it equals 7. But I dont think
you can factor that one out.
K: And why wouldnt you be able to factor that one out?
S: Because the factors of 7 are 1 and 7 since it is a prime number. So if you did 7 x1 and added
together it would be 8. And -7 x -1 would be -8. They dont add together to get the middle
number.
K: Ok
S: I dont know. I am not really familiar with factoring since I never really use it. I know that is
what you have to do but Id just rather use the quadratic formula because it is easier to
remember.
K: And how did you learn the quadratic formula?
S: In Algebra 2 we had this acronym. I am not sure but it is something about you dont want to
be squared like it is something about
K: Gotcha.
S: I always use to say that but now I just know that it is XXXX. It is just kinda in my memory
now.
K: It was ingrained in you.
S: Yea.

K: What would be the relationship of graphs on both sides of the equations?

S: In this one?
K: In all of them.
S: In all of them?
K: Yes, so if you think of the graphs on both sides of the equation, what would be the
relationship between the two?
S: So the graph of this one?
K: Uh-huh. and then the graph of this one. Thinking what they look like and how they relate to
one another.
S: This would be a parabola. The left half would be a parabola since it is x^2. And if you found it
in vertex form you could find the vertex and how it shifts and translates. This would just be a
horizontal or like a diagonal line. I think down 7. And then flipped over the y-axis. I think.
Because it is negative.
K: Do you mind sketching it for me?
S: Yea. This one would be something like...would go through here. I think it would be like this
maybe. And this one would be down two. I am not sure where it would start. It shifts somewhere
but I am not sure where since I dont have the vertex.
K: And how about for b?
S: Well this one would be...it would have a vertical stretch since it has a 2 in front. I think that
makes it skinnier...fatter. And then it would be up 8. And then it would move somewhere too but I
would have to find the vertex form of it. So then it would be...I think because it stretches a factor
of two and I would make it two times the size because you would to two times x. The x values
would be twice the size. And the second one would basically be the same but it would be up
three instead of 8. Something like that.
K: Yea.
S: This one...the two sides. One would be a parabola and then this side would just be a
horizontal line. No a vertical line at y=5. I think. I am not good with vertical and horizontal lines.
K: Oh that is ok. You are doing great work.

S: I would be just like that. I would go across...so the domain would be all real numbers but the
range would only be 5. And then this would have some left to right shift but it is the same size
just shifted up 12. So hypothetically that is 12. It would be just above it.
K: So before you solved for x and then you sketched the graphs of both sides of the equation.
What is the relationship between the graphs that you made and then also when you solved for
x? Is there a relationship or connection there?
S: Well x would be if I am understanding you correctly...When you solve for it x would be the
roots.
K: Ok and when you mean
S: When it crosses the x-axis. But that doesnt make sense because that is all the way up here
and it doesnt cross the x-axis. Um...yea because if you combined these together which is what I
did...I made it equal to zero. I mean I guess these would be the roots of this equation but taking
them separately those wouldnt be the roots. If you separately did you would have to solve for
this side of the equation to get the roots of that. But they would be imaginary roots because you
cant really find them.
K: How do you know you cant find them?
S: Well because it is all the way up here
K: Gotcha. Ok.
S: And the roots...you cant really...you could simplify but it would be like a decimal. Like a weird
decimal.
K: That is fine. You dont need to simplify it. And how about for this one? When you solved for x
what does that tell you?
S: Well, I think they both have a root at three since I solved it and both sides of the graph equal
three. Or at least they share a similarity.
K: And when you say roots do mean...I think before
S: Yea
K: I am just trying to clarify. Before when we talked about roots we said it was when it crossed
the x-axis and you mentioned another type of root too so I am just trying to figure out when you
say the root here would be 3...is that where they cross the x-axis or is that something different?

K: That is ok.
S: But maybe it is because they both...like x^3. Maybe they both have a point where
x=3,y=something different but they both have a point when x=3.
K: Ok, and what about for the last one?
S: Well, for the last one the one side of the equation as two roots, like visible roots because they
cross the x-axis. So there are zeros but I would have to solve for that one separately. And then
this is just an ordinary linear equation. X-7. There are transformations but I mean it is just an
ordinary linear equation. So the both...I mean I think the answer is where they intersect maybe.
K: Intersect the x-axis or each other?
S: Each other.
K: Ok.
S: So if I were to put this like they would cross at like that point.
K: And what makes you say that? Why are you inclined to think that?
S: Because...well maybe if because you added to solve it. I shifted the linear equation over to
the quadratic side. So maybe the roots for them...since they are two different graphs it is
because they intersect there instead of the x-axis because roots are when it normally cross the
x-axis.
K: Ok
S: Maybe it is just when they cross when it is two different graphs.
K: Ok I dont have anything else. Do you have any questions for me?
S: No.
K: Ok. I will go ahead and turn this off.