COMPLETING THE SQUARE –

EXPRESSED IN ALGEBRAIC TERMS

𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 = 0

STEP 1: Bracket off the x2 and x terms.

(𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥) + 𝑐 = 0

STEP 2: Factor out the coefficient of x2 from the brackets.

𝑏
𝑎 (𝑥 2 + 𝑥) + 𝑐 = 0
𝑎

STEP 3: Add the square of half the coefficient of x. We must also minus this so that
we do not change the value of the equation.

2
𝑏 𝑏 2 𝑏 2
𝑎 [𝑥 + 𝑥 + ( ) − ( ) ] + 𝑐 = 0
𝑎 2𝑎 2𝑎

STEP 4: Move the term being subtracted outside of the brackets.

𝑏 𝑏 2 𝑏 2
𝑎 [𝑥 2 + 𝑥 + ( ) ] − 𝑎 ( ) + 𝑐 = 0
𝑎 2𝑎 2𝑎

STEP 5: Rewrite the brackets as a perfect square

𝑏 2 𝑏 2
𝑎 (𝑥 + ) −𝑎( ) +𝑐 = 0
2𝑎 2𝑎

STEP 6: Expand and simplify the terms outside of the brackets.

𝑏 2 𝑏2
𝑎 (𝑥 + ) − 𝑎 ( 2 ) + 𝑐 = 0
2𝑎 4𝑎

𝑏 2 𝑏2
𝑎 (𝑥 + ) − ( ) + 𝑐 = 0
2𝑎 4𝑎
 𝑏 2 𝑏2 4𝑎𝑐
𝑎 (𝑥 + ) − ( ) + ( )=0
2𝑎 4𝑎 4𝑎

𝑏 2 −𝑏2 + 4𝑎𝑐
𝑎 (𝑥 + ) + ( )=0
2𝑎 4𝑎

𝑏 2 (−1)(𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑐)
𝑎 (𝑥 + ) + [ ]=0
2𝑎 4𝑎

𝑏 2 𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑐
𝑎 (𝑥 + ) − =0
2𝑎 4𝑎

This is now in the desired format: a (x + h)2 + k = 0

Below shows how the quadratic formula is derived from this.

𝑏 2 𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑐
𝑎 (𝑥 + ) =
2𝑎 4𝑎
𝑏 2 𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑐
(𝑥 + ) =
2𝑎 4𝑎2

𝑏 2 𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑐
√(𝑥 + ) =√
2𝑎 4𝑎2

𝑏 2 √𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑐
√(𝑥 + ) =
2𝑎 √4𝑎2

𝑏 2 √𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑐
√(𝑥 + ) =
2𝑎 2𝑎

𝑏 √𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑐
(𝑥 + )=
2𝑎 2𝑎
𝑏 √𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑐
𝑥+ =
2𝑎 2𝑎
√𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑐 𝑏
𝑥= −
2𝑎 2𝑎
√𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑐 − 𝑏
𝑥=
2𝑎
−𝒃 ± √𝒃𝟐 − 𝟒𝒂𝒄
𝒙=
𝟐𝒂