Question

When is it most appropriate to use completing the square method to solve a quadratic equation?

Answer 1

The completing the square method is most appropriate to use when solving a quadratic equation that cannot be easily factored or when the equation has a leading coefficient other than 1. By completing the square, we can rewrite the quadratic equation in a simplified form that makes it easier to solve for x.

Step-by-step explanation:

The completing the square method is most appropriate to use when solving a quadratic equation that cannot be easily factored or when the equation has a leading coefficient other than 1. By completing the square, we can rewrite the quadratic equation in the form (x-h)^2 = k, where h and k are constants. From this form, we can easily solve for x by taking the square root of both sides and finding the possible values of x.

Answer 2

It's best to use the completing the square method to solve a quadratic when the coefficient of the squared term is 1 and the coefficient of the linear term is even.