(x-6)(x+6)=288

2 min read Jun 17, 2024
(x-6)(x+6)=288

Solving the Equation (x-6)(x+6) = 288

This equation presents a quadratic equation in a slightly disguised form. Let's break down how to solve it:

Expanding the Equation

First, we need to expand the left side of the equation using the distributive property (or the FOIL method):

(x - 6)(x + 6) = x² - 6x + 6x - 36

Simplifying, we get:

x² - 36 = 288

Rearranging and Solving

Now, we have a standard quadratic equation:

x² - 36 - 288 = 0 x² - 324 = 0

We can now solve for x using the square root property:

x² = 324 x = ±√324

Therefore, the solutions are:

x = 18 and x = -18

Verification

We can verify our solutions by substituting them back into the original equation:

  • For x = 18: (18 - 6)(18 + 6) = 12 * 24 = 288
  • For x = -18: (-18 - 6)(-18 + 6) = -24 * -12 = 288

Both solutions satisfy the original equation, confirming their validity.

Conclusion

By expanding the equation, rearranging terms, and utilizing the square root property, we successfully solved the quadratic equation (x - 6)(x + 6) = 288, obtaining the solutions x = 18 and x = -18.

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