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7 votes
X^2 - 72 = 6x
how to complete the square?

User MrMythical
by
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2 Answers

3 votes
Answer:

Step-by-step explanation
x^2-6×-72= O
(b/2)^2= b, -6:(-6/2)^2=(-3)^2= 9
x^2-6x+(-3)^2-(-3)^2-72=0
(x-3)^2-9-72=0
(x-3)^2-81= 0
(x -3)^2= 81, x-3= ±9
x= +9+3= 12
x= -9+3=-6
: X= 12 , X= -6
User Fanoflix
by
8.2k points
12 votes

Answer:

x = 12 and x = -6

Explanation:

First subtract 6x on both sides to get a 2nd degree polynomial equal to zero:


x^2-6x-72=0

To complete the square, the formula is to divide 'b' by 2 and square the result. The general form for a 2nd degree polynomial of the variable 'x' is as follows:


ax^2+bx+c=0

For your case, b = 6. Therefore, the term that must be added and subtracted to our equation is:


(6/2)^2=3^2=9

Add and subtract 9 to our equation to get:


x^2-6x+9-9-72=0

The first three terms form a perfect square, we have:


(x^2-6x+9)-9-72=0


(x^2-6x+9)-81=0

What multiplies to equal 9 but adds to equal -6? That would be -3 and -3. Therefore:


(x-3)^2-81=0

Add 81 to both sides to get:


(x-3)^2=81

We want to take the square root, but recall a square root has a positive and negative branch. Therefore we have two solutions:


x-3=9


x-3=-9


x=12


x=-6

User MathiasJ
by
9.0k points

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