To complete the square for the quadratic equation x^2 + 8x - 14 = 0, follow these steps:
1. Move the constant term to the other side of the equation:
x^2 + 8x = 14
2. Take half of the coefficient of x (8/2 = 4) and square it (4^2 = 16). Add this value to both sides of the equation:
x^2 + 8x + 16 = 14 + 16
3. Factor the perfect square trinomial on the left side:
(x + 4)^2 = 30
Now, the equation is in the form (x + h)^2 = k, where h is half the coefficient of x, and k is the constant on the right side.
