document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1086778>Question 1086778</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\">  use a difference of squares method to solve the following: <BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%5E2-5x%2B3=x%28x-5%29%2B3=0 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%5E2-5x%2B3=x%28x-5%29%2B3=0\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > then substitute A=x-2.5 </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #701016 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Theo><B>Theo(13342)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Theo><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=Theo><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=701016\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> this dosn't look like a difference of square method.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "different of square is (a^2 - b^2) = (a-b) * (a+b)\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "i don't see that in this problem.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "your equation is x^2 - 5x + 3 = 0.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "the roots are not integers.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "you can solve this graphically or by use of the quadratic formula, but not by difference of squares as far as i can tell.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "i used the quadratic formula and got the following roots:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "x = 4.302775637732 or x = 0.69722436226801\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "neither one of them appears to be rational.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "you may have meant to solve by squaring.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "in that case, you would get:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "x^2 - 5x + 3 = (x-2.5)^2 - 2.5^2 + 3 = 0\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "this becomes (x-2.5)^2 - 6.25 + 3 = 0\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "this becomes (x-2.5)^2 - 3.25 = 0\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "this becomes (x-2.5)^2 = 3.25\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "take the square root of both sides to get:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "x-2.5 = plus or minus sqrt(3.25)\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "this becomes x - 2.5 = plus or mionus 1.802775638\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "solve for x to get the same thing i got above.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "this method is not calloed difference of squares.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "it's called completing the square method.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "the general principal is.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "start with x^2 - 5x + 3 = 0\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "move the 3 over to the other side of the equation to get:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "x^2 - 5x = -3\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "take half the coefficient of the x term and then square it as shown below:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "(x-2.5)^2 - (2.5)^2 = -3\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "move the - 2.5)^2 to the other side of the equation t0o get:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "(x-2.5)^2 = (2.5)^2 - 3\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "take the square root of both sides of the equation to get:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "x-2.5 = plus or minus square root of ((2.5)^2 - 3)\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "solve for x as i did above.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "here's a good reference on completing the square method.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<a  rel=nofollow HREF= \"http://www.purplemath.com/modules/sqrquad.htm\" target = \"_blank\">http://www.purplemath.com/modules/sqrquad.htm</a>\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "here's a good reference on difference of squares method.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<a  rel=nofollow HREF= \"http://www.purplemath.com/modules/specfact.htm\" target = \"_blank\">http://www.purplemath.com/modules/specfact.htm</a>\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( " </SPAN>\n" );
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