document.write( "Question 89281: Solve by completing the square. \r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " x^2 – 16x + 63 = 0
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Algebra.Com's Answer #65002 by bucky(2189)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Given:
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\n" ); document.write( "x^2 – 16x + 63 = 0
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\n" ); document.write( "Solve by completing the square.
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\n" ); document.write( "The first thing to do in completing the square is to make sure that the multiplier of the
\n" ); document.write( "x^2 term is 1. If it is not 1, then divide the entire equation (all terms on both sides) by
\n" ); document.write( "the multiplier of the x^2 term. In this problem, the multiplier is 1 (it is 1*x^2)
\n" ); document.write( "so you don't need to do anything to change it.
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\n" ); document.write( "Next, I like to get rid of the constant term on the left side. In this problem you can do that
\n" ); document.write( "by subtracting 63 from both sides. When you do that, the problem becomes:
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\n" ); document.write( "x^2 - 16x = -63
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\n" ); document.write( "Next look at the multiplier of the x term, divide it by 2, and square that result.
\n" ); document.write( "Then add that number to both sides of the equation. In this problem, the multiplier
\n" ); document.write( "of the x term is -16. Divide it by 2 and you get -8. Square the -8 and you get + 64. Add
\n" ); document.write( "+64 to both sides of the equation and it becomes:
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\n" ); document.write( "x^2 - 16x + 64 = +1
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\n" ); document.write( "The left side of this equation can be factored because it is a perfect square. When you
\n" ); document.write( "factor it, the number part of the factor is half of the multiplier of the x term, in
\n" ); document.write( "this case half of -16 which is -8. So the equation factors to:
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\n" ); document.write( "(x - 8)^2 = 1
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\n" ); document.write( "Take the square root of both sides and you get:
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\n" ); document.write( "x - 8 = ± 1
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\n" ); document.write( "Finally, add +8 to both sides to get rid of the -8 on the left side:
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\n" ); document.write( "x = 8 ± 1
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\n" ); document.write( "So the two answers to this problem are x = 8 + 1 = 9 and x = 8 - 1 = 7.
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\n" ); document.write( "These two answers (x = 9 and x = 7) are what you were looking to find.
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\n" ); document.write( "You can check them out by multiplying (x - 9) times (x - 7) and make sure the result is
\n" ); document.write( "the same as the original equation you were given.
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\n" ); document.write( "Hope this process helps you to understand the process.
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