Completing the Square

Solving Quadratics
By
Completing the Square
Must be a
perfect
Part 2
Square
 Perfect Take
Square Square Root
On of
One side BOTH SIDES

( x  5)  64
2
When you take the
( x  5)  64
2 square root, You
MUST consider the
x  5  8 Positive and
Negative answers.

x  5  8 x  5  8
5 5 5 5
x  13 x  3
 Perfect Take
Square Square Root
On of
One side BOTH SIDES

But what happens if you DON’T

have a perfect square on one
side…….

You make it a Perfect Square

Use the relations on next slide…

To expand a perfect square binomial:

( x  6)  x  2(6x)  6
2 2 2

 x  12 x  36
2
We can use these relations to find the missing term….To
make it a perfect square trinomial that can be factored into a
perfect square binomial.

x  12 x  _36
2
__
12  2  6 6  36
2
 ___  ( x  9) 2
x  18 x  _81
2

 Take ½ middle term 18  2  9

 Then square it (9)  81
2

The resulting trinomial is called a perfect square

trinomial,
which can be factored into a perfect square
binomial.
 1. Make one side a
perfect square

x  12 x  0
2 2. Add a blank to
1. both sides

36 36
x  12 x  ___  0  ___ 12  2  6
2 3. Divide “b” by 2

( x  6)  36
2 4. Square that
answer.

( x  6)  36
2 (6)  36
2

x  6  6 5. Add it to both
sides
6. Factor 1st side

x  6  6 x  6  6 7. Square root both

sides

6 6 6 6 8. Solve for x

x  12 x0
Factor this Perfect square trinomial

What is the
2
x  12 x  36

6)
Square root
of 36

2
( x  6)

Bring down sign
2
What is the

( x
Square root
of x2
 1. Move constant to
other side.

x 6x  8  0
2 2. Add a blank to
2. both sides
3. Divide “b” by 2
62  3
x  6 x  ___
2 9 4. Square that
9  8  ___ answer.
( x  3)  1
2
(3)  9
2

( x  3)  1
2
5. Add it to both
sides
x  3  1 6. Factor 1st side

x  3  1 x  3  1 7. Square root both

sides

3 3 3 3 8. Solve for x

x  4 x  2
Factor this Perfect square trinomial

What is the
2
3)
Square root
x  6x  9

of 9

2
( x  3)

Bring down sign
2
What is the

( x
Square root
of x2
 1. Move constant to
other side.

x  8 x  84  0
2 2. Add a blank to both
3. sides
3. Divide “b” by 2
82  4
x 8 x  16
2
16 4. Square that answer.
___  84  ___
( x  4)  100
2
(4)  16
2

( x  4)  100
2 5. Add it to both sides
6. Factor 1 side st

x  4  10 7. Square root both

sides

x  4  10 x  4  10 8. Solve for x

4 4 4 4
x  14 x  6
Factor this Perfect square trinomial

What is the
2
4)
x  8 x  16

Square root
of 9

2
( x  4)

Bring down sign
2
What is the

( x
Square root
of x2
 1. Move constant to
other side.

x  2 x  15  0
2 2. Add a blank to both
4. sides
3. Divide “b” by 2
22 1
x 2 x  ___
2
1 4. Square that answer.
1  15  ___
( x  1)  16
2
(1)  1
2

( x  1)  16
2 5. Add it to both sides
6. Factor 1st side

x  1  4 7. Square root both

sides

x  1   4 x  1  4 8. Solve for x

1 1 1 1
x  3 x  5
Factor this Perfect square trinomial

What is the
2
1)
Square root
x  2x 1

of 9

2
( x  1)

Bring down sign
2
What is the

( x
Square root
of x2
Steps to solve Quadratics by
completing the square:
 Move the constant to side by itself.
 Make the side (w/variables) a perfect square by
adding a certain number to both sides.
 To calculate this number
– Divide “b” (middle term) by 2
– Then square that answer

 Take the square root of both sides of eq

 Then solve for x
 In a perfect square, there is a
relationship between the coefficient of
the middle term and the constant term.

( x  7)  x  14 x  49
2 2

1

7 2 (14)

7 7  49
2