document.write( "Question 219646: Hello I was wondering if you could help me answer this problem.\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " converting to vertex form
\n" ); document.write( " y=3x^2-36x-117\r
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Algebra.Com's Answer #165145 by jim_thompson5910(35256)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

\n" ); document.write( "\"3x%5E2-36x-117\" Start with the right side of the given equation.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"3%28x%5E2-12x-39%29\" Factor out the \"x%5E2\" coefficient \"3\". This step is very important: the \"x%5E2\" coefficient must be equal to 1.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Take half of the \"x\" coefficient \"-12\" to get \"-6\". In other words, \"%281%2F2%29%28-12%29=-6\".\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now square \"-6\" to get \"36\". In other words, \"%28-6%29%5E2=%28-6%29%28-6%29=36\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"3%28x%5E2-12x%2Bhighlight%2836-36%29-39%29\" Now add and subtract \"36\" inside the parenthesis. Make sure to place this after the \"x\" term. Notice how \"36-36=0\". So the expression is not changed.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"3%28%28x%5E2-12x%2B36%29-36-39%29\" Group the first three terms.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"3%28%28x-6%29%5E2-36-39%29\" Factor \"x%5E2-12x%2B36\" to get \"%28x-6%29%5E2\".\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"3%28%28x-6%29%5E2-75%29\" Combine like terms.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"3%28x-6%29%5E2%2B3%28-75%29\" Distribute.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"3%28x-6%29%5E2-225\" Multiply.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So after completing the square, \"3x%5E2-36x-117\" transforms to \"3%28x-6%29%5E2-225\". So \"3x%5E2-36x-117=3%28x-6%29%5E2-225\".\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So \"y=3x%5E2-36x-117\" is equivalent to \"y=3%28x-6%29%5E2-225\".\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now \"y=3%28x-6%29%5E2-225\" is in vertex form \"y=a%28x-h%29%5E2%2Bk\" where (h,k) is the vertex. In this case, \"h=6\" and \"k=-225\". So the vertex is (6, -225).\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Note: to verify the answer, you could either graph the two equations (and you'll see that they are really the same) or you can expand out \"3%28x-6%29%5E2-225\" to get the original expression again.
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