Solving the Equation (2x + 9)(x - 5) = 108
This equation represents a quadratic equation in disguise. Let's break down the steps to solve it:
1. Expand the Equation
First, we need to expand the left side of the equation by using the distributive property (FOIL method):
(2x + 9)(x - 5) = 2x² - 10x + 9x - 45 = 2x² - x - 45
Now our equation looks like this:
2x² - x - 45 = 108
2. Rearrange into Standard Quadratic Form
To solve for x, we need to bring all terms to one side of the equation and set it equal to zero.
Subtract 108 from both sides:
2x² - x - 153 = 0
3. Solve the Quadratic Equation
Now we have a standard quadratic equation in the form ax² + bx + c = 0. We can solve for x using several methods:
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Factoring: Try to factor the quadratic expression. In this case, factoring might be tricky, so we'll explore other methods.
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Quadratic Formula: The quadratic formula is a reliable way to find the solutions (roots) of any quadratic equation. The formula is: x = (-b ± √(b² - 4ac)) / 2a
In our equation, a = 2, b = -1, and c = -153. Substituting these values into the formula gives us:
x = (1 ± √((-1)² - 4 * 2 * -153)) / (2 * 2) x = (1 ± √(1225)) / 4 x = (1 ± 35) / 4
Therefore, we have two possible solutions:
x₁ = (1 + 35) / 4 = 9 x₂ = (1 - 35) / 4 = -8.5
4. Verify the Solutions
To ensure our solutions are correct, we can plug them back into the original equation:
- For x = 9: (2 * 9 + 9)(9 - 5) = 27 * 4 = 108 (This solution checks out)
- For x = -8.5: (2 * -8.5 + 9)(-8.5 - 5) = -8 * -13.5 = 108 (This solution also checks out)
Conclusion
Therefore, the solutions to the equation (2x + 9)(x - 5) = 108 are x = 9 and x = -8.5.