What number completes the square x2 plus 24x equals 50?

Answer 1

X^2 + 24X = 50

you halve the linear term, square it and add it to both sides

X^2 + 24X + 144 = 50 + 144

factor the left side; gather terms on the right

(X + 12)^2 = 194

(X + 12)^2 - 194 = 0

so, either 144 is your number, or 194 is.

Sounds as a silly question to me as you complete the square to get the vertex of the polynomial. Which is;

(12,- 194) = wrong!!

Woops! Wrong! Made fudemental mistake! [ (- 12 + 12 ) = 0!! ] So, the vertex is;

(- 12, - 194 )