Solving the Quadratic Equation: (x-1)^2 = 3x - 5
This article will guide you through solving the quadratic equation (x-1)^2 = 3x - 5. We will explore the steps involved in finding the solutions, including expanding the equation, rearranging terms, and applying the quadratic formula.
Expanding and Rearranging
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Expand the left side of the equation: (x - 1)^2 = (x - 1)(x - 1) = x^2 - 2x + 1
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Rewrite the equation with all terms on one side: x^2 - 2x + 1 = 3x - 5 x^2 - 5x + 6 = 0
Solving the Quadratic Equation
We now have a standard quadratic equation in the form ax^2 + bx + c = 0, where a = 1, b = -5, and c = 6. To solve for x, we can use the quadratic formula:
x = (-b ± √(b^2 - 4ac)) / 2a
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Substitute the values of a, b, and c into the formula: x = (5 ± √((-5)^2 - 4 * 1 * 6)) / (2 * 1)
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Simplify the expression: x = (5 ± √(25 - 24)) / 2 x = (5 ± √1) / 2 x = (5 ± 1) / 2
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Calculate the two possible solutions: x1 = (5 + 1) / 2 = 3 x2 = (5 - 1) / 2 = 2
Conclusion
Therefore, the solutions to the quadratic equation (x-1)^2 = 3x - 5 are x = 3 and x = 2. You can verify these solutions by substituting them back into the original equation.