Method of completing squares

Step 1 Divide all terms by a (the coefficient of x square).

Step 2 Move the number term (c/a) to the right side of the equation.

Step 3 Complete the square on the left side of the equation and balance this by adding the same value to the right side of the equation. We now have something that looks like (x + p)2 = q, which can be solved rather easily:

Step 4 Take the square root on both sides of the equation. Step 5 Subtract the number that remains on the left side of the equation to find x.