Question

When solving the equation x^2 - 8x - 7 = 0 by completing the square, which equation is a step in the process?

a) (x - 4)^2 = 23
b) (x - 8)^2 = 9
c) (x - 4)^2 = 9
d) (x - 8)^2 = 23

Answer 1

The equation (x - 4)^2 = 9 is a step in the process of solving x^2 - 8x - 7 = 0 by completing the square.

Step-by-step explanation:

When solving the equation x^2 - 8x - 7 = 0 by completing the square, the step in the process is to rewrite the equation in the form (x - a)^2 = b, where a and b are constants.

In this case, the correct equation is (x - 4)^2 = 9. This step involves completing the square by taking half of the coefficient of x (-8) and squaring it to get 16. The constant term in the original equation (-7) is then added to both sides of the equation.