Solving Quadratic Equations: (x-4)² + 8 = 0
This equation represents a quadratic equation, meaning it has a highest power of 2 for the variable x. Let's break down how to solve it and present it in standard form.
Standard Form of a Quadratic Equation
The standard form of a quadratic equation is:
ax² + bx + c = 0
where a, b, and c are coefficients, and a ≠ 0.
Transforming the Equation
Our current equation is (x-4)² + 8 = 0. Let's transform it into standard form:
- Expand the square: (x-4)² = (x-4)(x-4) = x² - 8x + 16
- Substitute back into the equation: x² - 8x + 16 + 8 = 0
- Combine constant terms: x² - 8x + 24 = 0
Now the equation is in standard form: x² - 8x + 24 = 0
Solving the Equation
We can solve this equation using the quadratic formula:
x = (-b ± √(b² - 4ac)) / 2a
Where:
- a = 1
- b = -8
- c = 24
Substituting the values into the formula:
x = (8 ± √((-8)² - 4 * 1 * 24)) / (2 * 1) x = (8 ± √(-32)) / 2 x = (8 ± 4√(-2)) / 2 x = 4 ± 2√(-2)
Since the square root of a negative number is imaginary, we can express the solution using the imaginary unit i, where i = √(-1):
x = 4 ± 2i√2
Therefore, the solutions to the quadratic equation (x-4)² + 8 = 0 are x = 4 + 2i√2 and x = 4 - 2i√2.