16Hit1600
Advanced MathHardConstant completing a perfect square

Advanced Math practice question

If 4x² + 12x + c is equivalent to (2x + k)² for all values of x, where c and k are constants, what is the value of c?

Answer: 9

(2x + k)² = 4x² + 4kx + k², so 4k = 12, k = 3 and c = 9.

Common wrong answers

If you answered 3
3 is k, not c.
If you answered 36
36 squares the 6 from halving 12 twice, a slip.
If you answered 144
144 squares 12.

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