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Question

Rewrite the expression g^4 + 12g^2 + 9 in the form c(g^2 + p)^2 + q. What is q?

Accepted Answer

We complete the square: align* g^4 + 12g^2 + 9 &= (g^4 + 12g^2 + 36) + 9 - 36 &= (g^2 + 6)^2 -27 align*Then q is -27.