Understanding a completing the square question from the Quadratic functions & equations Unit Test.
I've come across similar scenarios multiple times during these tests and quizzes and I can get the correct answer but I do not understand it.
Consider a question from the Unit Test:
"Rewrite the equation by completing the square:
4x^2 - 4x + 1 = 0 "
The correct answer is (x-0.5)^2 = 0
My problem is that this isn't even the same parabola as the initial equation indicates. It may have the same vertex, and zeros, but the y intercept is completely different, and in fact, the entire curve is less divergent. The correct answer should be 4 (x-0.5)^2 = 0
My point is that from the so-called correct answer, you would have no idea what the original shape was unless you just happened to arbitrarily stick a lucky 4 in front of the (x-0.5)^2 term. So what is the point of a question that asks you to transform an initial state into something completely different? The answer really has no relation to the original equation. The answer should be 4 (x-0.5)^2 = 0
What am I not understanding about this answer?
Thanks,
John
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