Completing the Square

Question

0

639

2

+466

I need to complete this trinomial, but it doesn't seem to be able to be perfectly squared. How do I complete this trinomial?

x² + x + (?)

Shades Dec 16, 2015

+129852

+10

Best Answer

x^2 + 1x take half the coefficient on x = 1/2, square it.= 1/4......add it and subtract it......so we have

x^2 + 1x + 1/4 - 1/4 factor the first three terms

(x + 1/2)^2 - 1/4

CPhill Dec 16, 2015

CPhill · Answer 1 · 2015-12-16T09:31:23

x^2 + 1x take half the coefficient on x = 1/2, square it.= 1/4......add it and subtract it......so we have

x^2 + 1x + 1/4 - 1/4 factor the first three terms

(x + 1/2)^2 - 1/4

Shades · Answer 2 · 2015-12-16T09:37:34

Thank you very much!