Quadratics

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6 How To Complete The Square

Method 1: Example with a 1 in front of & D Example WITHOUT a 1 in front of & D
& D − 8& − 1 2& D − 5& − 3

Follow A Step 1: Halve the number in front of & and put it in squared bracket that We need to do an extra step first which is to FACTOR OUT whatever number is in front of & D and then we
Technique look likes (&+? )D or (&−? )D . complete the square after. There are 2 ways to factor out the number first of all. We can either
−8 Way 1: Factorise the 2 out of the first 2 terms Way 2: Factorise the 2 out of ALL 3 terms
= −4
2 ONLY
(& − 4)D
Step 1: We need to factorise out the 2 first, Step 1: We need to factorise out the 2 first from
Step 2: Copy the constant at the end from the first 2 terms only. This just divides all ALL terms. This just divides the first two terms by
(& − 4)D − 1 terms by 2 2
5
Step 3: undo (subtract) the 4D above 2 7& D − &8 − 3 5 3
2
This means. (& − 4)D − 1 in step 2 becomes 2 7& D − & − 8
2 2
(& − 4)D − 1−4D Step 2: Now complete the square on what is
inside the bracket. Some students get confused Step 2: Now complete the square on inside the
Step 4: Simplify since there aren’t 3 terms inside brackets like bracket as usual.
D
(& − 4) − 17 when usually completing the square. The third 5 D 3 5 D
term that we usually is just 0 now hence nothing = 2 >7& − 8 − − 7 8 ?
4 2 4
to worry about.
You might be wondering. Why did we do −4D in step 3? Or even why E D E D
= 2 9:& − ; − : ; < − 3 Step 3: Simplify
these steps even work? F F
If we expand (& − 4)D − 1 in step 2 we get & D − 8& + 16 − 1 E D DE
5 D 3 25
= 2 9:& − ; − <−3 = 2 >7& − 8 − − ?
BUT, we had & D − 8& − 1 in the original question. F GH 4 2 16
So the extra term appearing is +16 which is 4D . This is why we undo
it/need to get rid of it hence the −4D Step 3: Multiply the 2 back in 5 D 49
5 D 25 = 2 >7& − 8 − ?
4 16
= 2 7& − 8 − −3
4 8
Step 3: Simplify Step 4: Multiply the 2 back in
5 D 49 5 D 49
= 2 7& − 8 − = 2 7& − 8 −
4 8 4 8
Method 2: I D I D I D M I D
Form 1: Quadratics & D + @& + A become::& + ; +A − : ; Form 2: Quadratics C& D + @& + A become a9:& + ; + −: ; <
D D DL L DL

Memorise & D − 8& − 1 2& D − 5& − 3

a template
Here @ = −8, A = −1 Here C = 2, @ = −5, A = −3

becomes becomes
JK D JK D
:& + ; +−1−: ; −5 D −3 −5 D
D D 2 >7& + 8 + −7 8 ?
2(2) 2 2(2)
Simplify
(& − 4)D −1 − (−4)D Simplify
5 D 3 25
= 2 >7& − 8 − − ?
(& − 4)D − 1 − 16 4 2 16
5 D 49
= (& − 4)D − 17 = 2 7& − 8 −
4 8
Method 3: & D − 8& − 1 2& D − 5& − 3

We know that our answer form will look like (& + D)D + E Our answer form will look like C(& + D)D + E
Expand Expanding this gives & D + 2D& + DD + E Expanding this gives a& D + 2CD& + CDD + E
answer
form and So & D − 8& − 1 is identical to (≡) & D + 2D& + DD + E So 2& D − 5& − 3 is identical to (≡) C& D + 2CD& + CDD + E

compare Let’s colour code for ease of explanation: Let’s colour code for ease of explanation:
coefficients & D − 8& − 1 ≡ & D + 2D& + DD + E 2& D − 5& − 3 ≡ C& D + 2CD& + CDD + E

By comparing coefficients of the & D , & and constant terms we get By comparing coefficients of the & D , & and constant terms we get
2D = −8 C=2
DD + E = −1 2CD = −5
Solving simultaneously via substitution gives, D
CD + E = −3
E FN
D = −4, E = −17 Solving simultaneously via substitution gives, C = 2, D = − , E = −
F K
So (& + D)D + E becomes (& − 4)D − 17 E D FN
so C(& + D)D + E becomes 2 :& − ; −
F K

Examples where you need to re-arrange first

5 + 2& − & D 1.8 + 0.4J − 0.002J D
Re-write as Re-write as
−& D + 2& + 5 −0.002J D + 0.4J + 1.8
We now factorise out the −1 (i.e. divide everything by 2) We now factorise out the −0.002 (i.e. divide everything −0.002)
−1(& D − 2& − 5) −0.002(J D − 200J − 900)
Now complete the square on inside the bracket as usual Now complete the square on inside the bracket as usual
−1[(& − 1)D − 5 − 1] −0.002[(J − 100)D − 900 − 100D )]

−1[(& − 1)D − 6] −0.002((J − 100)D − 10900)

Multiply the −1 back in Multiply the −0.002 back in
−1(& − 1)D + 6 −0.002(J − 100)D + 21.8
6 − (& − 1)D 21.8 − 0.002(J − 100)D

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