Solve 10x^2-36x+16=0

$$10 { x }^{ 2 } -36x+16=0$$

Solve for x

$$x = \frac{\sqrt{41} + 9}{5} \approx 3.080624847$$

$$x=\frac{9-\sqrt{41}}{5}\approx 0.519375153$$

Steps Using the Quadratic Formula

All equations of the form ax^{2}+bx+c=0 can be solved using the quadratic formula: \frac{-b±\sqrt{b^{2}-4ac}}{2a}. The quadratic formula gives two solutions, one when ± is addition and one when it is subtraction.

$$10x^{2}-36x+16=0$$

This equation is in standard form: ax^{2}+bx+c=0. Substitute 10 for a, -36 for b, and 16 for c in the quadratic formula, \frac{-b±\sqrt{b^{2}-4ac}}{2a}.

$$x=\frac{-\left(-36\right)±\sqrt{\left(-36\right)^{2}-4\times 10\times 16}}{2\times 10}$$

Square -36.

$$x=\frac{-\left(-36\right)±\sqrt{1296-4\times 10\times 16}}{2\times 10}$$

Multiply -4 times 10.

$$x=\frac{-\left(-36\right)±\sqrt{1296-40\times 16}}{2\times 10}$$

Multiply -40 times 16.

$$x=\frac{-\left(-36\right)±\sqrt{1296-640}}{2\times 10}$$

Add 1296 to -640.

$$x=\frac{-\left(-36\right)±\sqrt{656}}{2\times 10}$$

Take the square root of 656.

$$x=\frac{-\left(-36\right)±4\sqrt{41}}{2\times 10}$$

The opposite of -36 is 36.

$$x=\frac{36±4\sqrt{41}}{2\times 10}$$

Multiply 2 times 10.

$$x=\frac{36±4\sqrt{41}}{20}$$

Now solve the equation x=\frac{36±4\sqrt{41}}{20} when ± is plus. Add 36 to 4\sqrt{41}.

$$x=\frac{4\sqrt{41}+36}{20}$$

Divide 36+4\sqrt{41} by 20.

$$x=\frac{\sqrt{41}+9}{5}$$

Now solve the equation x=\frac{36±4\sqrt{41}}{20} when ± is minus. Subtract 4\sqrt{41} from 36.

$$x=\frac{36-4\sqrt{41}}{20}$$

Divide 36-4\sqrt{41} by 20.

$$x=\frac{9-\sqrt{41}}{5}$$

The equation is now solved.

$$x=\frac{\sqrt{41}+9}{5} x=\frac{9-\sqrt{41}}{5}$$

Steps for Completing the Square

Quadratic equations such as this one can be solved by completing the square. In order to complete the square, the equation must first be in the form x^{2}+bx=c.

$$10x^{2}-36x+16=0$$

Subtract 16 from both sides of the equation.

$$10x^{2}-36x+16-16=-16$$

Subtracting 16 from itself leaves 0.

$$10x^{2}-36x=-16$$

Divide both sides by 10.

$$\frac{10x^{2}-36x}{10}=-\frac{16}{10}$$

Dividing by 10 undoes the multiplication by 10.

$$x^{2}+\left(-\frac{36}{10}\right)x=-\frac{16}{10}$$

Reduce the fraction \frac{-36}{10} to lowest terms by extracting and canceling out 2.

$$x^{2}-\frac{18}{5}x=-\frac{16}{10}$$

Reduce the fraction \frac{-16}{10} to lowest terms by extracting and canceling out 2.

$$x^{2}-\frac{18}{5}x=-\frac{8}{5}$$

Divide -\frac{18}{5}, the coefficient of the x term, by 2 to get -\frac{9}{5}. Then add the square of -\frac{9}{5} to both sides of the equation. This step makes the left hand side of the equation a perfect square.

$$x^{2}-\frac{18}{5}x+\left(-\frac{9}{5}\right)^{2}=-\frac{8}{5}+\left(-\frac{9}{5}\right)^{2}$$

Square -\frac{9}{5} by squaring both the numerator and the denominator of the fraction.

$$x^{2}-\frac{18}{5}x+\frac{81}{25}=-\frac{8}{5}+\frac{81}{25}$$

Add -\frac{8}{5} to \frac{81}{25} by finding a common denominator and adding the numerators. Then reduce the fraction to lowest terms if possible.

$$x^{2}-\frac{18}{5}x+\frac{81}{25}=\frac{41}{25}$$

Factor x^{2}-\frac{18}{5}x+\frac{81}{25}. In general, when x^{2}+bx+c is a perfect square, it can always be factored as \left(x+\frac{b}{2}\right)^{2}.

$$\left(x-\frac{9}{5}\right)^{2}=\frac{41}{25}$$

Take the square root of both sides of the equation.

$$\sqrt{\left(x-\frac{9}{5}\right)^{2}}=\sqrt{\frac{41}{25}}$$

Simplify.

$$x-\frac{9}{5}=\frac{\sqrt{41}}{5} x-\frac{9}{5}=-\frac{\sqrt{41}}{5}$$

Add \frac{9}{5} to both sides of the equation.

$$x=\frac{\sqrt{41}+9}{5} x=\frac{9-\sqrt{41}}{5}$$