How do you solve x2+8x=9 by completing the square?

1 Answer
Apr 26, 2016

The solutions are:
x=1,x=9

Explanation:

x2+8x=9

To write the Left Hand Side as a Perfect Square, we add 16 to both sides:

x2+8x+16=9+16

x2+2x4+42=25

Using the Identity (a+b)2=a2+2ab+b2, we get,

(x+4)2=25

x+4=25 or x+4=25

x+4=5 , x+4=5

x=54=1 ,

x=54=9

The solutions are:
x=1,x=9