Dear Lord and Father of all,

Thank you for today.

Thank you for ways in which you provide
for us all. For Your protection and love we
thank you.
Help us to focus our hearts and minds now
on what we are about to learn.
Inspire us by Your Holy Spirit as we listen
and write.
Guide us by your eternal light as we
discover more about the world around us.
We ask all this in the name of Jesus.
Amen
QUADRATIC EQUATIONS AND FUNCTIONS

Solving Quadratic Equations by

Completing the Square
A trinomial is a perfect square trinomial if:
1. The first and third terms are perfect squares containing positive numerical coefficients
or positive numbers.
2. The second term is twice the product of the square roots of the two perfect square
terms.

To factor a perfect square trinomial:

1. Find the positive square roots of each of the two perfect square terms.
2. Connect the two square roots with the sign of the numerical coefficient of the remaining
term (the second term) of the given trinomial.
3. Indicate that this binomial is used twice as a factor.
 
The expression becomes a perfect square when is added to it. Thus, .
To solve the equation using this approach is called completing the square method

 
Completing the Square
In an expression of the form , add the constant term to complete the square.
In , if we take , and square it, we would get the third term .
 
Example 1. Completing the Square.
Complete the square. Then, write each completed square in factored form.
a. b. c.

Solution:
 

To complete the square, add

Completed square:
Factored form:
 
b.
To complete the square, add or .
Completed square: .
 
Factored form: . c.
To complete the square, add or .
Completed square: .
Factored form: .
 
If the quadratic equation has a leading coefficient of 1,
that is, a=1, it is easy to solve by completing the
square. In addition, the equation should be written in
the form .
 2 
 
𝑥 For
+24example, in the quadratic equation
𝑥 +144=36+144 , the Property
Addition left-handofside of the
Equality.
2
equation,
 
( 𝑥+12is )an=incomplete
180 Factor
square. We canthe left-handthe
complete sidesquare
and add
by
adding  or 144. Because of the Additionthe numbers
Propertyonofright-hand
Equality,side.
we
Use the Square Root Principle.
must add 144 to both sides of the equation.
𝑥 =−  12 ± √ 180
Subtract 12 from both sides.
Factor the radicand.
𝑥 =− 12 ± 6Simplify the
√ 5 radical

 
There are two solutions because of the sign.
Thus, and .
 
Example 2. Solving Quadratic Equations by Completing the Square
Solve each by completing the square.
a.
 
b.
Solution:

 
 
Subtract 2 from both sides.
Complete the square by adding 16 on both sides
 
 
Factor.
 
Apply the Square Root Principle.
Subtract 4 from both sides.
 
b.  
Subtract 6 from both sides.
 
Complete the square by adding on both sides.
 
Factor the left side. Add in the right side.
 
Apply the Square Root Principle.
 
Add to both sides.
 
Simplify the radical.
 

The two solutions are 3 and 2.

 
If a quadratic equation has a leading coefficient other than 1 and not equal to 0,
we can make the lead coefficient equal to 1 by dividing both sides of the equation
by a. For the quadratic equation, , dividing both sides of the equation by 4 gives
a coefficient of 1.
Divide both sides by 4.
 
We can now solve by completing the square. The example illustrates how to solve a
Complete the square by adding on both
quadratic equation of the form , where a≠0 , byofcompleting
sides the square.
the equation.
Factor the left side expression. Add the
Factor the left side expression. Add the
numbers on the right side.
numbers on the right side.
Divide the right-side expression.
Divide the right-side expression.

Apply the Square Root Principle then add to

both sides.
Factor the radicand.
Factor the radicand.
Simplify the radical.

Simplify the radical.