Sample Problems for topic

"Completing the Square"

These sample problems will not be graded.
Solutions are available at the bottom of each
set of problems.

Rating=0
1. 4x 2 - 1 = 0 2. - 4x 2 + 10 = 0 3. - 3x 2 + 19 = 0
Squared form: Squared form: Squared form:

x= x= x=

 Solutions
[-]

# Correct Answer
4x 2 - 1 = 0

1
x2 =
1 Squared form: 4

1 -1
,
x=2 2
Explanation
4x 2 = 1     1. Add 1 (to both sides)

x2 = 1/
4     2. Divide by 4

x2 = 1/
4     3. Completing the square is already done since there is no unsquared x term

|x| = 1/
2     4. Take the square root. Put any radical fractions into standard form.
x = 1/    
2

  or 5. Solve for x in the two cases

-
x = 1/
2

# Correct Answer
- 4x 2 + 10 = 0

5
x2 =
2 Squared form: 2

10 - 10
,
x= 2 2
Explanation
- 4x 2 = - 10     1. Subtract 10 (from both sides)

x2 = 5/
2     2. Divide by -4

x2 = 5/
2     3. Completing the square is already done since there is no unsquared x term

|x| = √10/
2     4. Take the square root. Put any radical fractions into standard form.
x = √10/    
2

  or 5. Solve for x in the two cases

x = -√10/
2

# Correct Answer
- 3x 2 + 19 = 0

19
x2 =
3 Squared form: 3

57 - 57
,
x= 3 3
Explanation
 - 3x 2 = - 19     1. Subtract 19 (from both sides)

x2 = 19/
3     2. Divide by -3

x2 = 19/
3     3. Completing the square is already done since there is no unsquared x term

|x| = √57/
3     4. Take the square root. Put any radical fractions into standard form.
x = √57/    
3

  or 5. Solve for x in the two cases

x = -√57/
3

Rating=100
1. x 2 - 8x + 15 = 0 2. - 4x 2 - 8x + 5 = 0 3. -x 2 + 10x - 8 = 0
Squared form: Squared form: Squared form:

x= x= x=

 Solutions
[-]

# Correct Answer
x 2 - 8x + 15 = 0
2
1 Squared form: ( x - 4 ) = 1
x = -3,-5
Explanation
x 2 - 8x = - 15     1. Subtract 15 (from both sides)
x 2 - 8x + 16 = 1     2. Add 16 to complete the square

( x - 4) 2 = 1     3. Rewrite in squared form

|x - 4| = 1     4. Take the square root. Put any radical fractions into standard form.

x-4 = 1    
5. Solve for x in the two cases...
x - 4 = -1
x - 8 = -3     6. Add - 4 (first equation)

x - 8 = -5     7. Add - 4 (second equation)

# Correct Answer
2 - 4x 2 - 8x + 5 = 0
 9
( x + 1 )2 =
Squared form: 4

1 -5
,
x=2 2
Explanation
- 4x 2 - 8x = -5     1. Subtract 5 (from both sides)

x 2 + 2x = 5/4     2. Divide by -4

x 2 + 2x + 1 = 9/4     3. Add 1 to complete the square
( x + 1) 2 = 9/
4     4. Rewrite in squared form

|x + 1| = 3/
2     5. Take the square root. Put any radical fractions into standard form.

x + 1 = 3/2    
-
6. Solve for x in the two cases...
x+1 = 3/
2

x = 1/2     7. Subtract 1 (first equation)

-
x = 5/
2     8. Subtract 1 (second equation)

# Correct Answer
-x 2 + 10x - 8 = 0
2
3 Squared form: ( x - 5 ) = 1 7
x = -5+ 17,-5- 17
Explanation
-x 2 + 10x = 8     1. Add 8 (to both sides)

x 2 - 10x = - 8     2. Divide by -1

x 2 - 10x + 25 = 17     3. Add 25 to complete the square

( x - 5) 2 = 17     4. Rewrite in squared form

|x - 5| = √17     5. Take the square root. Put any radical fractions into standard form.

x - 5 = √17    
6. Solve for x in the two cases...
x - 5 = -√17
x - 10 = -5 + √17     7. Add - 5 (first equation)

x - 10 = -5 - √17     8. Add - 5 (second equation)