Solving the Equation: (x-8)² - 7 = 25
This equation involves a square term, so we'll need to use some algebraic manipulation to solve for x. Let's break it down step-by-step:
1. Isolate the Squared Term:
- Add 7 to both sides of the equation: (x - 8)² = 32
2. Take the Square Root of Both Sides:
-
Remember that taking the square root introduces both positive and negative solutions. √(x - 8)² = ±√32
-
Simplify: x - 8 = ±√32
3. Simplify the Radical:
- Find the prime factorization of 32: 32 = 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2
- Since we have a pair of 2s, we can take one 2 out of the radical: x - 8 = ±4√2
4. Isolate x:
- Add 8 to both sides: x = 8 ± 4√2
Therefore, the solutions to the equation (x-8)² - 7 = 25 are:
- x = 8 + 4√2
- x = 8 - 4√2