First watch the videos below on how and why to complete the square. And no, we don't just do it for fun...even though it is extremely enjoyable.
....Then review what we learned in the videos with the step-by-step procedure found at the bottom of the page.
Please note that at one point in the video above, when we are supposed to solve for "a," "x" is written instead. A minor error.
Step 1: Subtract any constants from both sides (remember to leave a space)
Step 2: Solve for "a"
Step 3: Square "a" and add it to the left side of the equation to complete into a perfect square
Step 4: Add the same number to the right side of the equation
Step 5: Re-write the left side into (x-a)2 form
Step 6: Take the square root of both sides
Step 7: Add "a" to both sides (remember the plus/minus sign!)
For a great site with example problems and hints, check out the link below:
http://www.algebralab.org/lessons/lesson.aspx?file=algebra_completingthesquare.xml
