Warm – Up #11
Solving Quadratic
Equations by
Completing the Square
EQ: How do you solve quadratics by
completing the square?
MCC9-12.A.REI.4b Solve quadratic
equations by inspection, taking square
roots, completing the square, the
quadratic formula and factoring, as
appropriate to the initial form of the
equation. Recognize when the quadratic
formula gives complex solutions and write
them as a ± bi for real numbers a and b.
Perfect Square Trinomials
Examples
x2 + 6x + 9
x2 - 10x + 25
x2 + 12x + 36
Creating a Perfect
Square Trinomial
In the following perfect square
trinomial, the constant term is
missing. X2
+ 14x + ____
Find the constant term by squaring
half the coefficient of the linear
term.
(14/2)2 X2
+ 14x + 49
Perfect Square Trinomials
Create perfect
square trinomials.
x2 + 20x + ___ 100
x2 - 4x + ___
4
x2 + 5x + ___
25/4
Solving Quadratic Equations
by Completing the Square
Solve the following
equation by
completing the 2
x 8 x 20 0
square:
Step 1: Move
quadratic term, and
2
linear term to left x 8 x 20
side of the
equation
Solving Quadratic Equations
by Completing the Square
Step 2: Find the term
that completes the square
2
x 8x =20 +
on the left side of the 1
equation. Add that term (8) 4 then square it, 4 2 16
to both sides. 2
x 8 x 16 20 16
2
Solving Quadratic Equations
by Completing the Square
Step 3: Factor
x 8 x 16 20 16
the perfect
square trinomial
2
on the left side
of the equation.
Simplify the
right side of the
( x 4)( x 4) 36
equation. 2
( x 4) 36
Solving Quadratic Equations
by Completing the Square
Step 4:
2
Take the ( x 4) 36
square
root of ( x 4) 6
each side
Solving Quadratic Equations
by Completing the Square
Step 5: Set x 4 6
up the two
possibilities x 4 6 and x 4 6
and solve x 10 and x=2
Completing the Square-Example #2
Solve the following
equation by completing
the square: 2
2 x 7 x 12 0
Step 1: Move quadratic
term, and linear term to
left side of the equation, 2
2 x 7 x 12
the constant to the right
side of the equation.
Solving Quadratic Equations
by Completing the Square
2 x 7 x =-12 +
2
Step 2: Find the term 2
that completes the square 2x 7x 12
on the left side of the 2 2 2
equation. Add that term
7
to both sides. x x 6
2
2
The quadratic coefficient 2
must be equal to 1 before 1 7 7 7 49
( ) then square it,
you complete the square, so 2 2 4 4 16
you must divide all terms
by the quadratic
coefficient first. 72 49 49
x x 6
2 16 16
Solving Quadratic Equations
by Completing the Square
Step 3: 2 7 49 49
Factor x x 6
the perfect 2 16 16
square trinomial
2
on the left side
7 96 49
of the equation.
x
Simplify the 4 16 16
right side of the
equation. 2
7 47
x
4 16
Solving Quadratic Equations by
Completing the Square
Step 4: 7 2 47
Take the (x )
square 4 16
root of 7 47
each side (x )
4 4
7 i 47
x
4 4
7 i 47
x
4
Solving Quadratic Equations by
Completing the Square
Try the following examples. Do your work on your paper and then check
your answers.
2
1. 9, 7
1. x 2 x 63 0
2
2.(6, 14)
2. x 8 x 84 0
2
3. 3,8
3. x 5 x 24 0
2 7 i 3
4. x 7 x 13 0 4.
2
5. 3 x 2 5 x 6 0
5 i 47
5.
6
