Solving Quadratic Equations by Completing the Square
Solving quadratic equations by completing the square is overpowered by an “offspring” of this process, namely, the quadratic formula. The quadratic formula was derived by completing the square on a quadratic equation. Once the quadratic formula was derived, it was no longer necessary to use the process of completing the square to solve “each” quadratic equation. Even though completing the square is often overlooked in favor of the quadratic formula, it is still a valuable skill that will be needed in other mathematical situations. Therefore, it is worthwhile to “get our feet wet” with these easier examples of applying the process of completing the square.
The process of completing the square was explained in the section entitled Complete the Square.
Examples:
