What number should be added to both sides of the equation to complete the square? x^2+ 8x = 4
Mathematics · High School · Tue Nov 03 2020
Answered on
Given the quadratic equation:
x^2 + 8x = 4
Find the number to be added on both sides to complete the square.
Solution:
First, get the quadratic equation into standard form, ax^2 + bx + c = 0
x^2 + 8x -4 = 0
To complete the square, we divide the coefficient of the middle term by 2, square it, and then add it to both sides:
(x^2 + 8x + 16) - 4 = +16
Now we can complete the square:
The answer is:
(x+4)^2 -20 = 0