Solving the Quadratic Equation (x-4)² + 8 = 0
This equation is a quadratic equation because it has a term with a variable raised to the power of 2. Let's break down the steps to solve it:
1. Expand the Square
First, we need to expand the squared term:
(x-4)² = (x-4)(x-4) = x² - 8x + 16
Now, our equation becomes:
x² - 8x + 16 + 8 = 0
2. Simplify the Equation
Combining the constant terms, we get:
x² - 8x + 24 = 0
3. Apply the Quadratic Formula
The quadratic formula is a general solution for equations of the form ax² + bx + c = 0:
x = (-b ± √(b² - 4ac)) / 2a
In our equation, a = 1, b = -8, and c = 24. Plugging these values into the formula:
x = (8 ± √((-8)² - 4 * 1 * 24)) / (2 * 1)
4. Simplify and Solve
Simplifying the equation:
x = (8 ± √(64 - 96)) / 2 x = (8 ± √(-32)) / 2 x = (8 ± 4√(-2)) / 2
Since the square root of a negative number is imaginary, we can write:
x = (8 ± 4i√2) / 2
Where 'i' represents the imaginary unit, √-1.
Finally, simplifying further:
x = 4 ± 2i√2
Solution
Therefore, the solutions to the equation (x-4)² + 8 = 0 are:
- x = 4 + 2i√2
- x = 4 - 2i√2
These solutions are complex numbers, with both a real part (4) and an imaginary part (2√2).