Sunday, September 6, 2009

Reflection #3

Yeah, so this week seemed a lot better than last week. Because of the fact that it was mostly all review from last week made it pretty easy. I understood just about everything, but the thing that I understood the most by far would still have to be factoring by grouping. Say the problem is 12x^3-3x^2-8x+2. All you have to do is first, group the problem into two halves (12x^3-3x^2)(8x-2). Then, you would reduce the problem 3x^2(4x-1) -2(4x-1). Next, you would group the problem and get (3x^2-2)(4x-1). Last, you would just solve for x and get x=1/4 and x=square root of 2 over three and -square root of 2 over 3. The only thing I had trouble with this week was completing the square. I just completely forgot how to do it.
Posted by at

3 comments:

  1. AnonymousSeptember 9, 2009 at 8:34 AM

    Its easy to have a "blankout" on a test. If you know how to do something try to reduce the steps into simple phrases to help make retaining the information easier.

    for completing the square just remember

    Divide linear term by two then square
    add it to both sides
    factor the left and combine the right
    square root both sides
    then its solving for X

    ** dont forget to put your answers into point form

    ReplyDelete
  2. aliciamarie8592September 10, 2009 at 2:26 PM

    heyy. I can help!! I like using completing the square over anything else. So first off, when would you use completing the square?? If the middle term of the equation is even, use completing the square.

    1. divide the linear term (middle term) or (term with just a Variable) by 2 and square your answer.

    2. Add the answer you got to both sides of the equation.

    3. Factor the left side of the equation.

    4. square root both sides

    5. solve for the variable

    Example: 4x^2-8X+1=0
    you want your quadratic to be simplifyed to just x, so divide everything by 4.

    x^2-2x =-1/4

    the linear term is even so divide it by 2 and square it.

    (-2/2)^2=-1/4 +1

    then you factor left side.

    (x-1)^2=3/4

    from here just square root both sides and get your answer. i would continue to work it for you but i dont know how to do a square root sign on here so it would be confusing... :(

    i hope it helped!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. TERRIOSeptember 11, 2009 at 12:56 PM

    hahaha yeah i just put square root for square roots on here cuz idk how to do the signs too

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)