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To factor a perfect square trinomial, the first and last terms have to be perfect squares.
(x+6)^2
We want to factor a perfect square trinomial.
x^2+12x+36
| Is the first term a perfect square? | x^2= x^2 ✓ |
| Is the last term a perfect square? | 36= 6^2 ✓ |
| Is the middle term twice the product of 6 and x? | 12x=2* 6* x ✓ |
As we can see, the answer to the three questions above is yes! Therefore, we can write the trinomial as the square of a binomial. Note there is an addition sign in the middle. x^2+12x+36 ⇔ ( x+ 6)^2
After expanding and simplifying, the result is the same as the given expression. Therefore, we can be sure our solution is correct!