Question

What values of c makes the polynomial below a perfect square?

Answer 1

To find the perfect square of an equation, you just take your "middle" term (in this case, 16), divide it by 2, then square it.

16/2 = 8
8^2 = 64

your perfect square is 64. you can check it really quick by trying to factor x^2 + 16x + 64 and seeing that it breaks down perfectly into (x + 8)(x + 8), which can be written as (x + 8)^2, showing that you have a binomial with a perfect square!!