Solve Using the Quadratic Formula x^2+3x+4=0

$x^{2} + 3 x + 4 = 0$

Step 1

Use the quadratic formula to find the solutions.

$\frac{- b \pm \sqrt{b^{2} - 4 (a c)}}{2 a}$

Step 2

Substitute the values $a = 1$ , $b = 3$ , and $c = 4$ into the quadratic formula and solve for $x$ .

$\frac{- 3 \pm \sqrt{3^{2} - 4 \cdot (1 \cdot 4)}}{2 \cdot 1}$

Step 3

Simplify.

Simplify the numerator.

Raise $3$ to the power of $2$ .

$x = \frac{- 3 \pm \sqrt{9 - 4 \cdot 1 \cdot 4}}{2 \cdot 1}$

Multiply $- 4 \cdot 1 \cdot 4$ .

Multiply $- 4$ by $1$ .

$x = \frac{- 3 \pm \sqrt{9 - 4 \cdot 4}}{2 \cdot 1}$

Multiply $- 4$ by $4$ .

$x = \frac{- 3 \pm \sqrt{9 - 16}}{2 \cdot 1}$

Subtract $16$ from $9$ .

$x = \frac{- 3 \pm \sqrt{- 7}}{2 \cdot 1}$

Rewrite $- 7$ as $- 1 (7)$ .

$x = \frac{- 3 \pm \sqrt{- 1 \cdot 7}}{2 \cdot 1}$

Rewrite $\sqrt{- 1 (7)}$ as $\sqrt{- 1} \cdot \sqrt{7}$ .

$x = \frac{- 3 \pm \sqrt{- 1} \cdot \sqrt{7}}{2 \cdot 1}$

Rewrite $\sqrt{- 1}$ as $i$ .

$x = \frac{- 3 \pm i \sqrt{7}}{2 \cdot 1}$

Multiply $2$ by $1$ .

$x = \frac{- 3 \pm i \sqrt{7}}{2}$