Solving the Equation: (x+8)(x-4) = 0
This equation represents a quadratic equation in factored form. To solve for the values of 'x' that satisfy the equation, we can utilize the Zero Product Property.
Zero Product Property
The Zero Product Property states that if the product of two or more factors is zero, then at least one of the factors must be zero.
In our case, we have two factors: (x+8) and (x-4). Therefore, for the product to equal zero, either (x+8) = 0 or (x-4) = 0.
Solving for x
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Solve for (x+8) = 0:
- Subtract 8 from both sides: x = -8
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Solve for (x-4) = 0:
- Add 4 to both sides: x = 4
Solutions
Therefore, the solutions to the equation (x+8)(x-4) = 0 are x = -8 and x = 4.
These solutions represent the points where the graph of the quadratic equation intersects the x-axis.