5.1.4 Completing the Square (continued)
Example 3 Solving a Quadratic Equation by Completing the Square Use the following steps to solve a quadratic equation ax 2 + bx + c = 0 by completing the square. 1. Collect all variable terms on one side of the equation and constants on the other. 2. As needed, divide both sides by a to make the coefficient of the x 2 -term 1. 3. Complete the square by adding ( b /2) 2 to both sides of the equation.
4. Factor the variable expression as a perfect square. 5. Take the square root of both sides of the equation. 6. Solve for the values of the variable.
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