The process of completing the square will show us
how the quadratic formula was developed
from solving a quadratic equation.
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1. Start with a quadratic equation set = 0.
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2. Move the constant to the right side.
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3. Divide each term by a to get the leading coefficient to be one.
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4. Get ready for a perfect square trinomial on the left side (put in the boxes).
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5. To find the needed value, take half of the coefficient of the x-term, derive two, and square it, derive three. Add this value to both sides of the equation (put it in the boxes).
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6. Square the last term on the right side. Find a common denominator on the right.
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7. Combine terms on the right, placing b2 in front of -4ac in the numerator.
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8. Re-write the perfect square trinomial on the left side as the square of a binomial.
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9. Take the square root of both sides. Simplify the radical on the right side.
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10. Subtract the constant away from x. Write as a single fraction on the right side.


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By completing the square, we discovered the quadratic formula!!

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