Inactive Tutor answered 03/07/25
The quadratic formula is derived using the technique of completing the square. When the leading coefficient is 1, often trial and error (or split-the-middle) is the easiest choice When the leading coefficient is 1 and the coefficient of x is an even integer, sometimes going through the process of completing the square gets to the answers fairly quickly.
x2 + 30x + 144 = 0
x2 + 30x +?? = -144 + ?? (those question marks to be filled in with a value that completes the square)
x2 + 30x + 225 = -144 + 225 (the 225 was determined by taking 1/2 of 30 and squaring the result:152 = 225
(x + 15)2 = 81 (rewrite the perfect square trinomial as a binomial squared)
x + 15 = ±9 (using the square root property--square root of both sides--note the 81 has two square roots)
x = -15 ± 9
x1 = -6, x2 = -24
Those values are also the x-coordinates of the x-intercepts for the parabola:
y = x2 + 30x + 144
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Linda B.
03/07/25