How do you solve x^2 - 4x = 5 by completing the square?

1 Answer
May 15, 2015

x^2 - 4x = 5
To write the Left Hand Side as a Perfect Square, we add 4 to both sides:

x^2 - 4x + 4 = 5 + 4

x^2 -2.2.x + 2^2 = 9
x^2 -2.2.x + 2^2 = 3^2

Using the Identity color(blue)((a-b)^2 = a^2 -2ab + b^2, we get
(x - 2)^2 = 9

x - 2 = sqrt9 or x - 2 = -sqrt9

color(green)(x = sqrt 9 +2 or color(green)(x = -sqrt 9 + 2