Completing the square

**adam_leeds** · May 31st 2010, 06:57 AM

How do you complete the square of $(-2y^2 +2yz -z^2)/2$

into the form $-(a((x-b)^2))/2$

Thanks Adam

**skeeter** · May 31st 2010, 08:13 AM

Originally Posted by adam_leeds

How do you complete the square of $(-2y^2 +2yz -z^2)/2$

Thanks Adam

$\frac{-2y^2 + 2yz - z^2}{2}$

$-\frac{y^2 + y^2 - 2yz + z^2}{2}$

$-\frac{y^2 + (y-z)^2}{2}$

... that's about all i could do with it.

**adam_leeds** · May 31st 2010, 08:19 AM

thanks

**adam_leeds** · June 1st 2010, 02:30 AM

Any other ideas?

**mr fantastic** · July 3rd 2010, 04:59 AM

Originally Posted by adam_leeds

How do you complete the square of $(-2y^2 +2yz -z^2)/2$

into the form $-(a((x-b)^2))/2$

Thanks Adam

It cannot be put into that form. (By the way, what is x meant to be? The variables of your problem are y and z).

Thread: Completing the square