Solving the Equation (2x-3)^2 = 4x-6
This article will guide you through solving the equation (2x-3)^2 = 4x-6. We will break down the steps and explain the concepts involved.
Step 1: Expand the Square
First, we need to expand the square on the left side of the equation. Remember the formula: (a-b)^2 = a^2 - 2ab + b^2.
Applying this to our equation:
(2x-3)^2 = (2x)^2 - 2(2x)(3) + (3)^2 = 4x^2 - 12x + 9
Now our equation becomes: 4x^2 - 12x + 9 = 4x - 6
Step 2: Move All Terms to One Side
To solve the equation, we need to bring all the terms to one side. Subtract 4x and add 6 to both sides:
4x^2 - 12x + 9 - 4x + 6 = 0 4x^2 - 16x + 15 = 0
Step 3: Solve the Quadratic Equation
We now have a quadratic equation in the form ax^2 + bx + c = 0. We can solve this using the quadratic formula:
x = (-b ± √(b^2 - 4ac)) / 2a
In our equation, a = 4, b = -16, and c = 15. Substituting these values into the quadratic formula:
x = (16 ± √((-16)^2 - 4 * 4 * 15)) / (2 * 4) x = (16 ± √(256 - 240)) / 8 x = (16 ± √16) / 8 x = (16 ± 4) / 8
This gives us two possible solutions:
- x = (16 + 4) / 8 = 20/8 = 5/2
- x = (16 - 4) / 8 = 12/8 = 3/2
Conclusion
Therefore, the solutions to the equation (2x-3)^2 = 4x-6 are x = 5/2 and x = 3/2. You can verify these solutions by plugging them back into the original equation.