Lesson Notes

Introduction - Part 2
Obtaining the roots of a quadratic equation is not always possible through simple
factorisation.

A more general method called “completing the square” is used since any quadratic equation
ax2 + bx + c = 0 can be written in the form (x + p)2 = q where p and q are real numbers and
(x + p)2 is a perfect square.

e.g.
( x  3) 2  2

x3  2
 x3 2 or x3  2

x  3  2 x  3  2
 1.59  4.41

If (x2 + 6x) is given, how does one make it a perfect square?

Helicopters are arranged neatly in a square military field.

3 4

First, the helicopters fill areas, P, Q and R. How many are there?

Helicopters in Areas P, Q and R  (3  3)  (4  3)  (3  4)

 9  12  12
 33 (Not a perfect square)

Notice that the existing number of helicopters still cannot fill the square.

©ACE-Learning 5
Lesson Notes

However, no helicopter is allowed to land on the next field unless every available space in this
square military field is filled.

Completing the square is done by placing helicopters into Area S.

How many helicopters can be placed in Area S?

4  4  42
 16 (perfect square)

Notice that after adding 42 = 16, which is a perfect square, we are able to completely fill the
square military field.

Helicopters in Area P, Q, R and S  33  16

 49

If ( x 2  2 px) is given, how does one make it a perfect square?

( x 2  2 px) is like an uncompleted face of a square wall, illustrated below:

x p

x x2 px

p px p2

Complete the square by adding

p  p  p2 (Notice that p is _____________ the coefficient of x, 2p)

x 2  2 px  p 2  ( x  p)( x  p)

 ( x  p) 2

From the diagram, we can see that ( x  p) 2  x 2  p 2

©ACE-Learning 6
Lesson Notes

If ( x 2  6 x) is given, how does one make it a perfect square?

( x 2  6 x) is like an uncompleted face of a square wall, illustrated below:

x 3

x x2 3x

3 3x 92

Complete the square by adding

3  3  32  9 (Notice that 3 is half the coefficient of x, 6)

x 2  6x  9
 x 2  6 x  32
 ( x  3) 2

From the diagram, we can see that ( x  3) 2  x 2  32

2
 p
In general, to make ( x  px) a perfect square,   must be added to it.
2

2
2 2
 p  p
Thus, x  px      x  
2

2  2

2
 2p 
Similarly, to make ( x 2  2 px) a perfect square,    p must be added to it
2

 2 
x 2  2 px  p 2  ( x  p) 2

Note that the coefficient of x2 must be 1 and the number to be added is the square of half the
coefficient of x.

Do you still remember this identity of a perfect square?

a2 ± 2ab + b2 = (a ± b)2

©ACE-Learning 7
Lesson Notes

Hence, we can write

x2 ± 2px + p2 as (x ± p)2

©ACE-Learning 8
Lesson Notes

Introduction - Part 3
2
 3
Are x  3x and  x   the same?
2

 2

x 2  3x Read as x squared plus 3x.

2
 3
x  Read as the square of x plus 3 over 2
 2

2
 3
At a glance, obviously x  3x ≠  x   .
2

 2

Let’s now prove it using the substitution method:

2
 3
x x2 + 3x x 
 2

2 2
 3 5 25
1 1  3(1)  4
2
1      
 2 2 4

2 2
 3 9 81
3 3  3(3)  18
2
3      
 2 2 4

2 2
 3  17  289
7 7 2  3(7)  70 7      
 2 2 4

2
 3
x  3x   x  
2

 2
2
 3
Notice that that value of  x   is always a perfect square.
 2
2 2
 p  p
In general, x  px   x   .  x   is always a perfect square.
2

 2  2

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Lesson Notes

x 4
Express x2 + 8x in the form of (x + p)2 + q.

Solution:
x x2 4x
x  8x  x  4 x  4 x
2 2

Hence, x 2  8x  4 2 

x 2  8x  16  x  4
2
4 4x 42

 x 2  8 x   x  4 
2
Total area = (x + 4)2

Express x2 – 13x in the form of (x + p)2 + q.

13

Solution: x 2

13 13
x 2  13x  x 2  x x
2 2 13
x x2  x
 13 
2 2
x 2  13x   x  
 2

13 169

2
 13  13 
x  13x 
2
 x    x
4
 2 2 2
2
 13 
 13  169
2
Total area =  x  
 x 2  13x   x     2
 2 4

Express 3x2 – 5x in the form of a(x + p)2 + q. 5


x 6
Solution:

3x 2  5 x
x x2
5  5
 3x 2  3 x   x
3  6
 5 
 3 x 2  x  5 25
 3  
5
 x 
6 6 36
 5 5 
 3 x 2  x  x   5
2

 6 6  Total area =  x  
 6

©ACE-Learning 10
Lesson Notes

Note that the coefficient of x2 must be 1 is “completing the square” method is to be used.

2 2
5  5  5
x  x      x  
2

3  6  6
2
5 25  5
x  x
2
 x  
6 36  6
2
5  5 25
x  x  x   
2

6  6 36

Hence,

 5   5
2
25 
3 x 2  x   3 x    
 3   6 36 
2
 5   5
3 x 2  x   3 x   
 3   6
2
 5 25
 3x  5 x  3 x   
2

 6  12

Summary,
x 2  8x  x  4  16
2

2
 13  169
x  13x   x   
2

 2 4
2
5  5 25
x  x  x   
2

3  6 36

2 2
 p  p
In general, x  px   x   . The value of  x   is always a perfect square.
2

 2  2
2 2
 p  p
x  px   x     
2

 2 2

©ACE-Learning 11
Lesson Notes

6 Basic Practice Questions

Express x2 + 6x in the form (x + p)2 + q.

Solution:

2 2
 p  p
x  px   x     
2

 2 2

Substituting all ‘p’s with 6,

2 2
 6 6
x 2  6x   x     
 2 2

x 2  6 x  x  3  3
2 2

x 2  6x  −

Express x2 + 9x in the form (x + p)2 + q.

Solution:

2 2
 p  p
x 2  px   x     
 2 2

Substituting all ‘p’s with 9,

2
 9
x  9x   x   
2

 2

2
 9
x  9x   x   
2

 2

©ACE-Learning 12
Lesson Notes

Express x2 – 8x in the form (x + p)2 + q.

Solution:

2 2
 p  p
x  px   x     
2

 2 2

Substituting all ‘p’s with – 8,

2 2
   
x  8 x   x 
2
   
   

x 2  8x  −

x 2  8x 

Express x2 – 11x in the form (x + p)2 + q.

Solution:

2 2
 p  p
x  px   x     
2

 2 2

Substituting all ‘p’s with – 11,

 11   11 
2 2

x 2  11x   x     
 2   2
2 2
 11   11 
x 2  11x   x      
 2  2

x 2  11x  −

Express 3x2 – x in the form h(x + p)2 + q.

Solution:

Note that the coefficient of x2 must be 1 if “completing the square” method is to be used.

 x
3x 2  x  3x 2  3 
3

©ACE-Learning 13
Lesson Notes

1
Substituting all ‘p’s with  ,
3
  1  1 
2 2

        
3 x
  3    3  
 
2
p  p
2
 2   2   x  px   x     
2

      2 2
    

 
2

 3   
  

2
 1
 3 x   
 6
2
 1 1
 3 x   
 6  12

Express 5x2 – 8x in the form h(x + p)2 + q.

Solution:

Note that the coefficient of x2 must be 1 if “completing the square” method is to be used.

 8x 
5 x 2  8 x  5 x 2  5 
 5

©ACE-Learning 14
Lesson Notes

8
Substituting all ‘p’s with  ,
5
  8  8 
2 2

         2 2
 p  p
5 x 
  5  5  x  px   x     

2

 2   2    2 2
    
    

 8  8 
2 2

 5 x       
 10   10  
2
 4  16 
 5 x    5 
 5  25 

©ACE-Learning 15
Lesson Notes

Example 1
Solve the equation x2 + 4x + 1 = 0 by completing the square.

Solution:

x 2  4x  1  0
x 2  4x  (Subtract 1 from both sides)

x 2  4 x  2 2  1  2 2 2 2
 p  p
x  px      x  
2
( x  2) 2  1  4 2  2
(x  2) 2 

x2 (Take the square root of both sides)

x2 3 or x2 3

 x  2  3  x  2  3

= x (correct to 3 significant figures)

©ACE-Learning 16
Lesson Notes

Example 2
Solve the equation x2 – 5x + 4 = 0 by completing the square.

Solution:

x 2  5x  4  0
x 2  5x  4 (Subtract 4 from both sides)
  5
2

x 2  5x   4   Add    to both sides to get a perfect square
  2 

25
 4   p 
2
p
2
4 x  px      x  
2

2  2
2
 5 9
x   
 2 4

5
x  (Take the square root of both sides)
2

5 3 5 3
x  or x 
2 2 2 2

 x=  x=

©ACE-Learning 17
Lesson Notes

Example 3
Solve the equation –2m2 + m + 36 = 0 by completing the square.

Solution:

–2m2 + m + 36 = 0
1
m 2  m  18  0 (Divide both sides by 2)
2

= (Add 18 to both sides)

1  1
2
 1
2
  1
2

m  m      18     Add    to both sides to get a perfect square
2

2  4  4   4 
1 2 2
 18   p  p
16 x  px      x  
2

2  2
2
 1
m   
 4

1 17
m  (Take the square root of both sides)
4 4

1 17 1 17
m  or m 
4 4 4 4
9
 m m  4
2

©ACE-Learning 18
Lesson Notes

Example 4
Solve the equation –6k2 + 7k – 3 = 0 by completing the square.

Solution:

6k 2  7k  3  0

  0 (Divide both sides by 6)

7 1  1 
k2  k   Add to both sides 
6 2  2 

7 1  7
2

k  k
2
  Add   to both sides to get a perfect square
6 2   12  
2 2
 p  p
= x  px      x  
2

2  2

7
k  (Take the square root of both sides)
12

7 11 7 11
k  or k 
12 12 12 12

 k  k ;

©ACE-Learning 19
Lesson Notes

Example 5
Solve the equation –x2 + 6x – 9 = 0 by completing the square.

Solution:

x 2  6x  9  0 (Multiply both sides by – 1)

x 2  6x  (Subtract 9 from both sides)

x 2  6 x  (3) 2  9  (3) 2 [Add (–3)2 to both sides to get a perfect square]

 9  9  p
2
 p
2

x 2  px      x  
2  2
( x  3) 2  0
x 3  0 (Take the square root of both sides)

 x (There is only one solution)

©ACE-Learning 20
Lesson Notes

Example 6

4 2
Solve the equation  x  4 x  3  0 by completing the square.
3

Solution:

4 2
 x  4x  3  0
3

 3 
0  Multiplyboth sides by  
 4 

x 2  3x 

 
2
9  
2
  3
2

x  3x  
2
       Add    to both sides to get a perfect square
  4     2 

9 9 2 2
   p  p
4 4 x  px      x  
2

2  2
2
 3
x   
 2
3
x 0 (Take the square root of both sides)
2

 x (There is only one solution)

©ACE-Learning 21
Lesson Notes

Example 7
Solve the equation 2x2 – 6x + 11 = 0 by completing the square.

Solution:

2x2 – 6x + 11 = 0
11
x 2  3x  0 (Divide both sides by 2)
2

 1 
x 2  3x   Subtract from both sides 
 2 

11  3 
2
  3
2

     Add    to both sides to get a perfect square
2  2   2 

13

4
3 3
x2    (Take the square root of both sides)
2 4

3
 is not a __________________________.
4

Hence, there is no real root.

©ACE-Learning 22
Lesson Notes

Self-Reflection
What I have learnt:

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©ACE-Learning 23