Use the discriminate to determine the number and the nature of the solutions of the giving equation

3x^2+4x-8=0

The discriminant is the numbers under the radical portion of the quadratic equation;
So, it is b^2 - 4ac

In the equation, a=3, b= 4, and c= -8, so you get 4^2 - 4(3)(-8) = 16 - -96 = 112

A positive discriminant indicates that the quadratic has two distinct real number solutions.