document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=487237>Question 487237</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Hello, I am stuck on this one. This is college algebra. I am suppose to complete the square.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x squared + 7x -4 =0 </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #333003 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=MathLover1><B>MathLover1(20850)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=MathLover1><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/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=MathLover1><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=333003\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> \r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( " <TR><TD  ALIGN=MIDDLE>Solved by <A  rel=nofollow HREF=http://wiki.algebra.com/index.php/Tutoring_-_pluggable_solvers>pluggable</A> solver: <A  rel=nofollow HREF=completing_the_square.solver>Completing the Square to Get a Quadratic into Vertex Form</A></TD></TR>\n" );
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document.write( "  <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=y=1+x%5E2%2B7+x-4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"y=1+x%5E2%2B7+x-4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Start with the given equation<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "  <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=y%2B4=1+x%5E2%2B7+x ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"y%2B4=1+x%5E2%2B7+x\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Add <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 both sides<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "  <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=y%2B4=1%28x%5E2%2B7x%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"y%2B4=1%28x%5E2%2B7x%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Factor out the leading coefficient <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
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document.write( "  Take half of the x coefficient <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=7 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"7\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > to get <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=7%2F2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"7%2F2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > (ie <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%281%2F2%29%287%29=7%2F2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%281%2F2%29%287%29=7%2F2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >).<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "  Now square <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=7%2F2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"7%2F2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > to get <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=49%2F4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"49%2F4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > (ie <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%287%2F2%29%5E2=%287%2F2%29%287%2F2%29=49%2F4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%287%2F2%29%5E2=%287%2F2%29%287%2F2%29=49%2F4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >)<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "  <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=y%2B4=1%28x%5E2%2B7x%2B49%2F4-49%2F4%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"y%2B4=1%28x%5E2%2B7x%2B49%2F4-49%2F4%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Now add and subtract this value inside the parenthesis. Doing both the addition and subtraction of <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=49%2F4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"49%2F4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > does not change the equation<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "  <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=y%2B4=1%28%28x%2B7%2F2%29%5E2-49%2F4%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"y%2B4=1%28%28x%2B7%2F2%29%5E2-49%2F4%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Now factor <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%5E2%2B7x%2B49%2F4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%5E2%2B7x%2B49%2F4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > to get <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28x%2B7%2F2%29%5E2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28x%2B7%2F2%29%5E2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
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document.write( "  <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=y%2B4=1%28x%2B7%2F2%29%5E2-1%2849%2F4%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"y%2B4=1%28x%2B7%2F2%29%5E2-1%2849%2F4%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Distribute<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "  <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=y%2B4=1%28x%2B7%2F2%29%5E2-49%2F4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"y%2B4=1%28x%2B7%2F2%29%5E2-49%2F4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Multiply<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "  <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=y=1%28x%2B7%2F2%29%5E2-49%2F4-4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"y=1%28x%2B7%2F2%29%5E2-49%2F4-4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Now add <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%2B4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%2B4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > to both sides to isolate y<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "  <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=y=1%28x%2B7%2F2%29%5E2-65%2F4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"y=1%28x%2B7%2F2%29%5E2-65%2F4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Combine like terms<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "  Now the quadratic is in vertex form <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=y=a%28x-h%29%5E2%2Bk ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"y=a%28x-h%29%5E2%2Bk\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > where <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a=1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a=1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=h=-7%2F2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"h=-7%2F2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, and <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=k=-65%2F4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"k=-65%2F4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >. Remember (h,k) is the vertex and \"a\" is the stretch/compression factor.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "  Check:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "  Notice if we graph the original equation <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=y=1x%5E2%2B7x-4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"y=1x%5E2%2B7x-4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > we get:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "  <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=graph%28500%2C500%2C-10%2C10%2C-10%2C10%2C1x%5E2%2B7x-4%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"graph%28500%2C500%2C-10%2C10%2C-10%2C10%2C1x%5E2%2B7x-4%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Graph of <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=y=1x%5E2%2B7x-4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"y=1x%5E2%2B7x-4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >. Notice how the vertex is (<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-7%2F2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-7%2F2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >,<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-65%2F4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-65%2F4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >).<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "  Notice if we graph the final equation <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=y=1%28x%2B7%2F2%29%5E2-65%2F4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"y=1%28x%2B7%2F2%29%5E2-65%2F4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > we get:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "  <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=graph%28500%2C500%2C-10%2C10%2C-10%2C10%2C1%28x%2B7%2F2%29%5E2-65%2F4%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"graph%28500%2C500%2C-10%2C10%2C-10%2C10%2C1%28x%2B7%2F2%29%5E2-65%2F4%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Graph of <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=y=1%28x%2B7%2F2%29%5E2-65%2F4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"y=1%28x%2B7%2F2%29%5E2-65%2F4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >. Notice how the vertex is also (<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-7%2F2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-7%2F2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >,<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-65%2F4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-65%2F4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >).<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "  So if these two equations were graphed on the same coordinate plane, one would overlap another perfectly. So this visually verifies our answer.<BR>\n" );
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