Solving Quadratic

Equations by
Completing the Square
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 x  8 x  20  0
2
square:

Step 1: Move
quadratic term, and
linear term to left x  8 x  20
2
side of the
equation
 Solving Quadratic Equations
by Completing the Square
Step 2: Find the term
that completes the square
x  8x 
2
=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

Factor the left side of the equation and

combine like terms on the opposite side.

x  8 x  16  20  16
2

(x + 4)(x + 4) = 36
(x + 4) ^2 = 36
Solving Quadratic Equations
by Completing the Square
Step 4:
Take the ( x  4)  36
2
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 x  7 x  12  0
2

Step 1: Move quadratic

term, and linear term to
left side of the equation, 2 x  7 x  12
2
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

2x 7x 12
that completes the square      
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. 7 49 49
x  x
2
 6 
2 16 16
 Solving Quadratic Equations
by Completing the Square
Step 3: 7 49 49
Factor x  x
2
 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.

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
2
4.  
 2 
5. 3 x 2 5 x  6  0
 5  i 47 
5.  
 6 