document.write( "Question 60107: How do you complete the square of x2-8x=33 and x2-8x+40=0 \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #41449 by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740)![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! Complete the square by filling in the blank to make it a perfect square: \n" ); document.write( "x^2 - 8x + ___ = 33 \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "Take the coefficient of x, divide it by 2 and square it: \n" ); document.write( "Coefficient is -8, divided by 2 is -4, squaring 4 gives you + 16 \n" ); document.write( "Remember if you add 16 to the left side of the equation you must do the same to the right side. \n" ); document.write( "x^2 - 8x + 16 = 33 + 16 \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "x^2 - 8x + 16 = 49 \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "Since we made it a perfect square we can write it: \n" ); document.write( "(x - 4)^2 = 49 \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "Find the square root of both sides: \n" ); document.write( "(x - 4) = +/-7 \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "x = +4 + 7 \n" ); document.write( "x = +11 \n" ); document.write( "and \n" ); document.write( "x = +4 - 7 \n" ); document.write( "x = -3 \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "The solution is x = +11 and x = -3 \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "x^2 - 8x + 40 = 0 \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "Subtract 40 from both sides and complete the square: \n" ); document.write( "x^2 - 8x + ___ = -40 \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "Since the coefficient of x is 8 again. we will have: \n" ); document.write( "x^2 - 8x + 16 = -40 + 16 \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "x^2 - 8x + 16 = -24 \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "(x -4)^2 = - 24 \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "x - 4 = +/-SqRt(-24) \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "Using the i factor (which is the square root of -1) \n" ); document.write( "x - 4 = +/- i*SqRt(+24) \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "x - 4 = +/- i*SqRt(4*6) \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "Extract 2 by taking out the square root of 4 \n" ); document.write( "x - 4 = +/- 2i*SqRt(6) \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "x = 4 + 2i*SqRt(6) \n" ); document.write( "and \n" ); document.write( "x = 4 - 2i*SqRt(6) \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "Did this make sense to you?? \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " |