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When 32 is subtracted from the square of a number, the result is 4 times the number. Find the positive solution

User Deadbyte
by
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1 Answer

4 votes

Explanation:

x² - 32 = 4x

x² - 4x - 32 = 0

with a little bit experience we see immediately that this is

(x - 8)(x + 4) = 0

the positive x for this to be true is x = 8.

formally, the solution to a quadratic equation

ax² + bx + c = 0

is

x = (-b ± sqrt(b² - 4ac))/(2a)

in our case

x = (4 ± sqrt((-4)² - 4×1×-32))/(2×1) =

= (4 ± sqrt(16 + 128))/2 = (4 ± sqrt(144))/2 =

= (4 ± 12)/2 = 2 ± 6

x1 = 2 + 6 = 8

x2 = 2 - 6 = -4

we were right at the beginning.

the positive solution is x = 8.

User Itsan Alias
by
7.4k points