How do you solve using the completing the square method x^2 + 2x - 63 = 0x2+2x63=0?

1 Answer
Mar 8, 2016

(x+9)(x-7)(x+9)(x7)

Explanation:

To solve the equation x^2+2x−63=0x2+2x63=0, using the completing the square method, one has to complete the square using the variable xx.

We know the identity (x+a)^2=x^2+2ax+a^2(x+a)2=x2+2ax+a2, hence we should halve the coefficient of xx and square it and then add and subtract the 'square' in the trinomial. Here coefficient of xx is 2 and hence squareof half of it is 11. Hence

x^2+2x−63=0x2+2x63=0 can be written as

x^2+2x+1-1−63=0x2+2x+1163=0 or

(x^2+2xxx xx1+1^2)-64(x2+2×x×1+12)64 or

(x+1)^2-8^2(x+1)282

Now using the identity a^2-b^2=(a+b)(a-b)a2b2=(a+b)(ab), this becomes

((x+1)+8)xx((x+1)-8)((x+1)+8)×((x+1)8) or

(x+9)(x-7)(x+9)(x7)