document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=44712>Question 44712</A>This question is from textbook <A HREF=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0534493947/algebrahomeworkh>Intermediate Algebra</A><BR>\n" );
document.write( ": <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Use completing the square to solve each equation.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "b^2 - 3b = 5\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "My answer is no where even close to what the book says it should be. I am in desperate need of help with these types of problems. My book says the answer should be (3 + sqrt(29))/2 or (3 - sqrt(29))/2<BR>\n" );
document.write( "This is what I came up with. What am I doing wrong?<BR>\n" );
document.write( "b^2 - 3b = 5<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=+b%5E2+-+3b+%2B+%281%2F2%2A3%2F1%29%5E2+=+5+%2B+%281%2F2%2A3%2F1%29%5E2+ ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"+b%5E2+-+3b+%2B+%281%2F2%2A3%2F1%29%5E2+=+5+%2B+%281%2F2%2A3%2F1%29%5E2+\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=+b%5E2+-+3b+%2B+%283%2F2%29%5E2+=+5+%2B+%283%2F2%29%5E2+ ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"+b%5E2+-+3b+%2B+%283%2F2%29%5E2+=+5+%2B+%283%2F2%29%5E2+\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=+%28b+%2B+3%2F2%29%5E2+=+5+%2B+%283%2F2%29%5E2+ ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"+%28b+%2B+3%2F2%29%5E2+=+5+%2B+%283%2F2%29%5E2+\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=+%28b+%2B+3%2F2%29%5E2+=+5+%2B+%289%2F4%29+ ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"+%28b+%2B+3%2F2%29%5E2+=+5+%2B+%289%2F4%29+\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=+%28b+%2B+3%2F2%29%5E2+=+%285%2F4%29+%2B+%289%2F4%29+ ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"+%28b+%2B+3%2F2%29%5E2+=+%285%2F4%29+%2B+%289%2F4%29+\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=+%28b+%2B+3%2F2%29%5E2+=+%2814%2F4%29+ ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"+%28b+%2B+3%2F2%29%5E2+=+%2814%2F4%29+\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=+b+%2B+3%2F2+=%2Bplus_minus-%287%2F2%29+ ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"+b+%2B+3%2F2+=%2Bplus_minus-%287%2F2%29+\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=+b+=+-%283%2F2%29%2Bplus_minus-%287%2F2%29+ ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"+b+=+-%283%2F2%29%2Bplus_minus-%287%2F2%29+\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( " </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #29587 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=adamchapman><B>adamchapman(301)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-10.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=adamchapman><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=29587\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> The first step should be to make the right hand side equal to zero:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=b%5E2+-+3b+=+5 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"b%5E2+-+3b+=+5\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=b%5E2-3b-5=0 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"b%5E2-3b-5=0\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Now try completing the square:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28b-%283%2F2%29%29%5E2-5-%283%2F2%29%5E2=0 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28b-%283%2F2%29%29%5E2-5-%283%2F2%29%5E2=0\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28b-%283%2F2%29%29%5E2-5-%283%2F2%29%5E2=0 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28b-%283%2F2%29%29%5E2-5-%283%2F2%29%5E2=0\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28b-%283%2F2%29%29%5E2-5-%289%2F4%29=0 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28b-%283%2F2%29%29%5E2-5-%289%2F4%29=0\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28b-%283%2F2%29%29%5E2-20%2F4-9%2F4=0 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28b-%283%2F2%29%29%5E2-20%2F4-9%2F4=0\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28b-%283%2F2%29%29%5E2-29%2F4=0 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28b-%283%2F2%29%29%5E2-29%2F4=0\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Now rearrange to find b:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28b-3%2F2%29%5E2=29%2F4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28b-3%2F2%29%5E2=29%2F4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=b=3%2F2%2B-sqrt%2829%2F4%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"b=3%2F2%2B-sqrt%2829%2F4%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=b=3%2F2%2B-sqrt%2829%29%2F2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"b=3%2F2%2B-sqrt%2829%29%2F2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=b=%283%2B-sqrt%2829%29%29%2F2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"b=%283%2B-sqrt%2829%29%29%2F2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "I hope this helps.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "P.S. I am trying to start up my own homework help website. I would be extremely grateful if you would e-mail me some feedback on the help you received to adam.chapman@student.manchester.ac.uk<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Adam\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( " </SPAN>\n" );
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