<PRE><B>Question 535550</B>
&lt;B&gt;Check my profile and contact me for one on one online tutoring.&lt;/B&gt;&lt;P&gt;

It looks like you were completing the square, but incorrectly.&lt;P&gt;

Step 1 is divide by the coefficient of x^2.  It&#39;s 1, so that doesn&#39;t change the equation.&lt;P&gt;

Step 2 is move the constant to the other side.  You did that correctly.&lt;P&gt;

x^2 -2x = 3&lt;P&gt;

Step 3 is take 1/2 the coefficient of x, square it and add that to both sides.  The coefficient of x is -2, 1/2 that is -1, squared it&#39;s 1.&lt;P&gt;

x^2 -2x + 1 = 4&lt;P&gt;

Step 4 is factor the left side.  It will always be x then the sign of the original coefficient of z which in this case is -, then the number you added to both sides in step 3 (in this example it&#39;s 1). That whole thing is squared.&lt;P&gt;

(x-1)^2 = 4   Take the square root of both sides&lt;P&gt;

x-1 = + or - sqrt(4) = + or - 2.&lt;P&gt;  Add 1 to both sides.&lt;P&gt;

x = 1 + or - 2 = 3 or -1.</PRE>