How do you solve using the completing the square method x^2-14x+45=0x214x+45=0?

1 Answer
May 2, 2016

x = 9x=9 OR x = 5x=5

There must be two answers because it is a quadratic equation.

Explanation:

Completing the square is a method based on the product of the square of a binomial: (x + m)^2 = x^2 +2xm + m^2(x+m)2=x2+2xm+m2
This is in the form of a quadratic equation : ax^2 +-bx + cax2±bx+c

(x + 3)^2 = x² + 6x + 9
(x - 6)^2 = x² - 12x + 36

Notice that
a = 1
the first and last terms are always perfect squares.
There is a specific relationship between b and c

(b÷2)^2 gives the value of c. (half of b, then square the answer.)

If you have a trinomial in this form it can be written as (x +- ..)^2

Complete the following square: x^2 + 10x + .......
Do you see that the missing value is 25?

x^2 + 10x + 25 can be written as (x+5)^2

Let's look at your question:

In x² - 14x + 45 = 0, 45 is not the correct value for c.

Move 45 to the other side: x² - 14x ....... = -45

Add the required value TO BOTH SIDES
x² - 14x + color(red)49 = -45 + color(red)49

now: (x - 7)^2 = 4 ................... [7 is half of 14 or sqrt49]

x-7 = +-2 .........................find the square root of both sides

x = 2+7 OR x = -2+7

x = 9 OR x = 5