Mathematics

This problem is about Vieta's formulas, which connect the coefficients of a polynomial directly to sums and products of its roots—without needing to solve for the roots themselves. First, rewrite the equation in standard form $ax^2 + bx + c = 0$, then use the relationships: sum of roots $= -b/a$ and product of roots $= c/a$. It's a powerful shortcut that saves you from the quadratic formula.

This problem is about Vieta's formulas, which connect the coefficients of a polynomial directly to sums and products of its roots—without needing to solve for the roots themselves. First, rewrite the equation in standard form $ax^2 + bx + c = 0$, then use the relationships: sum of roots $= -b/a$ and product of roots $= c/a$. It's a powerful shortcut that saves you from the quadratic formula.