Question

What should be done to x^2 + 15x in order to create a perfect square?

Answer 1

$\bf \qquad \textit{perfect square trinomial} \\\\ (a\pm b)^2\implies a^2\pm \stackrel{\stackrel{\text{\small 2}\cdot \sqrt{\textit{\small a}^2}\cdot \sqrt{\textit{\small b}^2}}{\downarrow }}{2ab} + b^2 \\\\[-0.35em] ~\dotfill$

$\bf x^2+15x+\boxed{?}^2\implies \stackrel{\textit{we know the middle term is}}{2\sqrt{x^2}\cdot \sqrt{\boxed{?}^2}\implies 2x\boxed{?}}\qquad then\qquad 2x\boxed{?}=15x \\\\\\ \boxed{?}=\cfrac{15x}{2x}\implies \boxed{?}=\cfrac{15}{2}\qquad \impliedby \textit{we should add that much \underline{squared}} \\\\[-0.35em] ~\dotfill\\\\ x^2+15x+\left( \cfrac{15}{2} \right)^2\implies \left(x+ \cfrac{15}{2} \right)^2$