For ax² + bx + c, the sum of roots equals:

To find the sum of the roots of a quadratic equation in the standard form $ax^2 + bx + c = 0$, we use **Vieta's Formulas**. 1. **Identify the coefficients**: The coefficients of the quadratic equation are $a$ (leading coefficient), $b$ (linear coefficient), and $c$ (constant term). 2. **State Vieta's Formulas**: For any quadratic equation with roots $r_1$ and $r_2$: - The sum of roots is $r_1 + r_2 = -\frac{b}{a}$ - The product of roots is $r_1 \cdot r_2 = \frac{c}{a}$ 3. **Conclusion**: Based on these mathematical relationships, the sum of roots is always represented by the formula $-\frac{b}{a}$.