Use the quadratic formula to find the exact solutions.
x2 - 14x + 74 = 0
-b ± √(b² - 4*a*c)
x = ------------------------------
2a
-(-14) ± √((-14)² - 4*1*74)
x = -----------------------------------
2*1
14 ± √(196 - 296)
x = -----------------------------------
2
14 ± √(-100)
x = -----------------------------------
2
There are no solutions. The square root of
a negative number is imaginary. Plotting this
equation on a graph produces a parabola that
never crosses the x-axis. The lowest point on
the curve is at (7, 25).