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| Question 51693:  using the quadratic equation x² - 4x - 5 = 0,
 perform the following task:
 solve by factoring,
 solve by completing the square,
 and solve using the quadratic formula
 Answer by AnlytcPhil(1808)
      (Show Source): 
You can put this solution on YOUR website! using the quadratic equation x² - 4x - 5 = 0, 
perform the following task: 
solve by factoring,
solve by completing the square,
and solve using the quadratic formula
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By factoring:
x² - 4x - 5 = 0
(x - 5)(x + 1) = 0
Setting x - 5 = 0 gives x = 5
Setting x + 1 = 0 gives x = -1
-------------------------------
By completing the square:
Get the constant term, -5, off the left side by
adding +5 to both sides of the equation:
                          x² - 4x = 5
To the side, multiply the coefficient of x, which is
-4, by 1/2, getting -2.  Then square this -2. getting,
(-2)² or 4.  Now add 4 to both sides:
                      x² - 4x + 4 = 5 + 4 
The left side will factor as (x - 2)(x - 2) or (x - 2)².
We combine the numbers on the right as 9
                         (x - 2)² = 9
Now we take square roots of both sides.
                            x - 2 = ±3
                                x = 2 ± 3
Using the +,  x = 2 + 3, or x = 5
Using the -, x = 2 - 3, or x = -1
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By the quadratic formula:
        x² - 4x - 5 = 0
The quadratic formula is:
       ax² + bx + c = 0 has solutions:
                  ______ 
            -b ± Öb²-4ac
        x = —————————————
                2a 
In this cases a = 1; b = -4; c = -5
                      ______________
             -(-4) ± Ö(-4)²-4(1)(-5)
        x = ——————————————————————————
                     2(1) 
                  _____ 
             4 ± Ö16+20
        x = ————————————————
                  2
                   __ 
              4 ± Ö36
        x = ————————————————
                  2
                    
              4 ± 6
        x = —————————
                2
Using the +,  
              4 + 6
        x = —————————
                2
             10
        x = ————
              2         
        x = 5 
       
Using the -,  
              4 - 6
        x = —————————
                2
             -2
        x = ————
              2         
        x = -1 
Edwin
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