document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=169987>Question 169987</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Can you please show me how to work this quadratic equation by completing the square\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "x^2 + 4x - 12 = 0 </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #125447 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=jim_thompson5910><B>jim_thompson5910(35256)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=jim_thompson5910><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=125447\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> \r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%5E2%2B4x-12 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%5E2%2B4x-12\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Start with the left side of the equation.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Take half of the <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > coefficient <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > to get <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >. In other words, <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%281%2F2%29%284%29=2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%281%2F2%29%284%29=2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Now square <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > to get <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >. In other words, <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%282%29%5E2=%282%29%282%29=4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%282%29%5E2=%282%29%282%29=4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%5E2%2B4x%2Bhighlight%284-4%29-12 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%5E2%2B4x%2Bhighlight%284-4%29-12\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Now add <font size=4><b>and</b></font> subtract <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >. Make sure to place this after the \"x\" term. Notice how <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=4-4=0 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"4-4=0\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >. So the expression is not changed.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28x%5E2%2B4x%2B4%29-4-12 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28x%5E2%2B4x%2B4%29-4-12\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Group the first three terms.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28x%2B2%29%5E2-4-12 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28x%2B2%29%5E2-4-12\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Factor <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%5E2%2B4x%2B4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%5E2%2B4x%2B4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > to get <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28x%2B2%29%5E2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28x%2B2%29%5E2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28x%2B2%29%5E2-16 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28x%2B2%29%5E2-16\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Combine like terms.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "So after completing the square, <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%5E2%2B4x-12 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%5E2%2B4x-12\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > transforms to <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28x%2B2%29%5E2-16 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28x%2B2%29%5E2-16\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >. So <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%5E2%2B4x-12=%28x%2B2%29%5E2-16 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%5E2%2B4x-12=%28x%2B2%29%5E2-16\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "So <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%5E2%2B4x-12=0 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%5E2%2B4x-12=0\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > is equivalent to <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28x%2B2%29%5E2-16=0 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28x%2B2%29%5E2-16=0\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "----------------------------------------------------\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28x%2B2%29%5E2-16=0 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28x%2B2%29%5E2-16=0\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Start with the given equation.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28x%2B2%29%5E2=0%2B16 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28x%2B2%29%5E2=0%2B16\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >Add <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=16 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"16\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > to both sides.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28x%2B2%29%5E2=16 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28x%2B2%29%5E2=16\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Combine like terms.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%2B2=0%2B-sqrt%2816%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%2B2=0%2B-sqrt%2816%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Take the square root of both sides.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%2B2=sqrt%2816%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%2B2=sqrt%2816%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > or <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%2B2=-sqrt%2816%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%2B2=-sqrt%2816%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Break up the \"plus/minus\" to form two equations.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%2B2=4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%2B2=4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > or <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%2B2=-4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%2B2=-4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >  Take the square root of <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=16 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"16\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > to get <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x=-2%2B4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x=-2%2B4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > or <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x=-2-4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x=-2-4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Subtract <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > from both sides.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x=2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x=2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > or <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x=-6 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x=-6\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Combine like terms.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Answer:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "So the solutions are <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x=2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x=2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > or <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x=-6 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x=-6\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >. </SPAN>\n" );
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