Solve the following quadratic equation using the perfect square trinomial pattern: x^2 + 54x = -729.

x = ___

1 answer

To solve the equation \(x^2 + 54x = -729\) using the perfect square trinomial pattern, we start by moving \(-729\) to the left side of the equation:

\[ x^2 + 54x + 729 = 0 \]

Next, we aim to rewrite the left side as a perfect square trinomial. The perfect square trinomial is expressed as \((x + a)^2\). To find \(a\), we take the coefficient of \(x\), which is \(54\), divide it by \(2\), and then square it:

\[ a = \frac{54}{2} = 27 \]

Then we compute \(a^2\):

\[ 27^2 = 729 \]

Thus, we can write the left-hand side of the equation as:

\[ (x + 27)^2 = 729 \]

Next, we take the square root of both sides:

\[ x + 27 = \pm \sqrt{729} \]

Calculating the square root gives:

\[ \sqrt{729} = 27 \]

So we have two cases to consider:

  1. \(x + 27 = 27\)
  2. \(x + 27 = -27\)

Now we solve each case:

  1. For \(x + 27 = 27\):

\[ x = 27 - 27 = 0 \]

  1. For \(x + 27 = -27\):

\[ x = -27 - 27 = -54 \]

Thus, the solutions to the equation are:

\[ x = 0 \quad \text{and} \quad x = -54 \]

So, the final answer is:

\[ x = 0 \quad \text{or} \quad x = -54 \]