Quadratics

ALGEBRA (Quadratic Equations)

For any equation of the form ax2 + bx + c = 0

Solution of the Quadratic Equation (which factorise)

Example 1. Consider 2x2 – 7x + 3 = 0

The L.H.S. factorise to become

2x2 – 7x + 3 = 0
ac = 6 → [– 6 × – 1]
b = –7 → [– 6 + –1]

bx = – 7x = – 6x – x

2x2 – 6x – x + 3 = 0

(2x2 – 6x) + ( – x + 3) = 0

2x(x – 3) – (x – 3) = 0

(2x – 3)(x – 3) = 0

(2x – 1) = 0 or (x – 3) = 0

x=½ or x=3

 NB – Solution to equations can ‘Sometimes be Lost’ if care is not taken with

apparently straight forward equations.

Example 2. Consider 2x2 – 14x = 0 and the following two Solutions:

2x2 – 14x = 0 2x2 – 14x = 0

divide thru by 2 to give x2 – 7x = 0 by factorizing 2x(x – 7) = 0

.
divide thru by x to give x–7=0 . . 2x = 0 or x – 7 = 0

x=7 x=0 or x=7

* NB – The 1st Solution resulted in a lost of,

the answer x = 0 and this was because the
equation was divided by the common factor x
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 NB – The Practice of dividing by the constant factors is desirable and correct,

however division by a common factor containing the unknown quantity will
lead to a loss of some solutions.

Example 3. Consider t(t – 3) = t2 – 4 and the following two solutions.

t(t – 3) = t2 – 4 Sub. 1 for t into the equation to give

m

t2 – 3t = t2 – 4 1 1 –3 = 1 2
–4
m m m
t2 – t2 + 3t – 4 = 0
1 – 3 = 1 –4
3t – 4 = 0 m m m2

3t = 4 → 1 – 3m = 1 – 4m2

t= 4 4m2– 3m + 1 – 1 = 0
3
4m2 – 3m = 0

m(4m – 3) = 0

m=0 or 4m – 3 = 0

m=0 or m = –3
4

Since t = 1 then m= 1
m t

i.e. 1 = 0 or 1 = 3
t t 4
t = ∞ or t=¾

* NB – the ∞ symbol means ‘infinitely large’.

st
That 1 solution lost the
answer t = ∞ because the t2
terms on the L.H.S. and R.H.S.
were equal and were cancelled

* NB – In most problems an infinite solution would have NO PRACTICAL meaning but

in some cases. It WOULD BE APPLICABLE. Take for example if t represents tan θ,
then t = ∞ gives the solution θ = 90o
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* NB – If the squared term in a quadratic equation apparently disappears REMEMBER

TO CONSIDER THE INFINITE Solution.

Solution of Quadratic Equations (which do not factorise).

Consider 2x2 – 5x + 1 = 0

Divide thru by 2 2x2 – 5x + 1 = 0 → x2 – 5x + 1 = 0

2 2 2 2 2

Hence x2 – 5x = – 1
2 2
2

By adding 1 × 5 to both sides to make the L.H.S. a Perfect square

2 2

2
→ x2 – 5x + 5 = – 1 × 5 2

2 2 2 2

2
→ x – 5 = 17
2 16

Square rooting both sides would then give

→ x – 5 = ± √17
2 4

x – 5 = ± 4.123
2 4
.
. . x = 2.28 or x = 0.22

This method is called ‘Completing the Square’.

By completing the square of the general quadratic equation ax2 + bx + c = 0 will bring
forth the familiar ‘Quadratic Formula’.

x = – b ± √ b2 – 4ac
2a
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The Nature of the Roots of a Quadratic Equation

Using the quadratic formula to solve the equation ax2 + bx + c = 0

x = – b + √ b2 – 4ac or x = – b – √ b2 – 4ac
2a 2a

Therefore in general a quadratic equation has two solutions(roots).

If the discriminant (b2 – 4ac) is positive, the√ b2 – 4ac can be evaluated and the equation
will have two real and distinct roots ( i.e. different roots).

If the discriminant (b2 – 4ac) is zero the quadratic equation is satisfied by ONLY ONE

value of x → x = – b and one would describe it has having repeated roots or equal
roots 2a

If the discriminant (b2 – 4ac) is negative, the√ b2 – 4ac can be evaluated and the equation
will have no real . (NB √ – ve value is imaginery and does not exist).

The Summation The Equation ax2 + bx + c = 0

Has two real distinct roots if b2 – 4ac ˃ 0

equal(repeated) roots if b2 – 4ac = 0

NO roots if b2 – 4ac ˂ 0

 NB – (b2 – 4ac) is called discriminant.

How to determine the Nature of a Quadratic Equation

Example 1. 4x2 – 7x + 3 = 0

b2 – 4ac = (–7)2 – 4(4)(3) = 1

i.e. b2 – 4ac ˃ 0

and so the equation has two distinct(different) real roots

Example 2. x2 + ax + a2 = 0

b2 – 4ac = (a)2 – 4(1)(a)2 = – 3a2

since a2 is positive irrespective of the value of a,

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b2 – 4ac ˂ 0

and so the equation has No real roots( i.e. the answer is imaginary).

Example 3. x2 – px – q2 = 0

b2 – 4ac = ( – p)2 – 4(1)(– q)2 = p2 + 4q2

since p2 and q2 are both positive irrespective of the value of a,

b2 – 4ac ˃ 0
.
. . the equation has two distinct (different) real roots.

Example 4. Find the value of k if 2x2 – kx + 8 = 0 has

Now for the roots of 2x2 – kx + 8 = 0 to be equal (repeated)

b2 – 4ac = 0

i.e. ( – k)2 – 4(2)(8) = 0

k2 – 64 = 0

k2 = 64

√k2 = ±√ 64

k=±8

Relationships between the Roots and the Coefficients of a Quadratic Equation

Let α and β be the roots of the equation ax2 + bx + c = 0

i.e. (x – α) (x – β) = 0 . . . . . [1]
* NB – Both have the same solution
2
ax + bx + c = 0 . . . . . . [2]

But
(x – α) (x – β) ≡ x2 – (α + β )x + αβ

dividing ax2 + bx + c = 0 by a gives x2 + bx + c = 0

a a
.
. . x2 – (α + β)x + αβ = 0 . . . . [3]
* NB – Both have the same solution
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And x2 + bx + c = 0 . . . . . [4]
a a

Now since the L.H.S. of [3] and [4] have the same coefficient of x2 it follows that the
coefficients of x and the constant terms are also equal

i.e. x2 – (α + β)x + αβ ≡ x2 + bx + c
a a

 NB – The L.H.S. of [2] and [3] ARE NOT IDENTICAL unless a = 1.

.
. . α+β = –b (Sum of the Roots)
a
And

αβ = c (Product of the Roots )

a
The equation may now be written

x2 – (Sum of the Roots) x + (Product of the Roots) = 0

So if 2x2 – 3x + 6 = 0 has the roots α and β

Hence the sum of its roots α + β is – –3 = 3

2 2

And, the product of its roots αβ is 6 = 3

2

 NB – If a quadratic equation has roots whose sum is 7 and whose product is 10 the
equation can be written as x2 – 7x + 10 = 0

Example 1e

1) The Roots of the equation 2x2 – 7x + 4 = 0 are α and β ,

Find the values of 1 + 1 and 1

α β αβ

Since 2x2 – 7x + 4 = 0 and a = 2, b = –7, c = 4

α+β = – b → – –3 = 7
a 2 2
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αβ = c → 4 = 2
a 2

Now to evaluate one must first express it in terms of α + β and αβ whose values are
known,

Express 1 + 1 as a single fraction

α β
7
1 + 1 = α + β = 2 = 7 2= 7 × 1 = 7
α β αβ 2 2 2 2 4

So with 1 = 1 and 1 + 1 = 7
αβ 2 α β 4

Then the required equation has roots whose sum 1 + 1 is 7 and whose
α β 4
product 1 is 1 and so the equation :-
αβ 2

x2 – 7x + 1 = 0
4 2
OR

4x2 – 7x + 2 = 0 having made the equation

linear by multiply thru by 4 (L.C.M)

An Alternate Solution to Finding the Equation for the Roots

Let x = α , x = β for the given equation 2x2 – 7x + 4 = 0

Then let X = 1 , X = 1 for the required equation

α β

.
. . X = 1 → x = 1
x X

Substituting in 1 for x in the given equation one would get

X
2

2 1 –7 1 +4=0
X X
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to be given 4X2 – 7X + 2 = 0

 NB – The alternative method above can be used ONLY if each new root depends in
the same way on each original root.

 (Take for example if the given equation has Roots αβ and the required equation has
roots α2 , β2 it can be used).

 BUT if the required equation has roots α – β, α + β it CANNOT BE USED.

Example 2. If αβ are the Roots of x2 + 3x – 2 = 0.

Find the values α3 + β3 and α3 β3 whose roots α2 and β3.

x2 + 3x – 2 = 0

one can see that the sum α + β = – b = – 3 = –3

a 1
And the
product αβ = c = –2 = –2
a 1

To express α3 + β3 in terms of α + β and αβ one may use

(α + β)3 ≡ α3 + 3α2β + 3αβ2 + β3

≡ α3 + β3 + 3αβ ( α + β)
.
. . α3 + β3 ≡ (α + β )3 – 3αβ (α + β)

≡ (– 3)3 – 3(– 2)(– 3)

≡ – 45

α3β3 ≡ (αβ)3 = (– 2)3 = – 8

Now since the required equation has roots α3 and β3

the sum of the roots is α3 + β3 = k – 45

And
the product of the roots is α3β3 = – 8
.
. . required equation –: x3 – (– 45)x + (– 8) = 0

Or
x3 + 45x – 8 = 0
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 NB – The alternative method could be used also as X = x3.

 However one is advised NOT TO, since the resulting equation (3√X)2 +3 (3√X) + 4
is not easy to simplify.

Example 3. Find the range of values of k for which the equation x2 – 2x – k = 0 which has
real roots. If the roots of this equation differ by 1, find the value of k.

If x2 – 2x – k = 0 has real distinct(different) roots , then the discriminant (b2 – 4ac) is

greater than 0 or equal to 0 (this includes the ease of equal).
x2 – 2x – k = 0

a = 1, b = – 2, c = – k

i.e. b2 – 4ac ≥ 0

(– 2)2 – 4(1) (– k) ≥ 0

4 + 4k ≥ 0

Divide the L.H.S. thru by 4 to simplify

1+k≥0

.
. . k ≥ –1

Now let the roots of the equation be α and base on earlier statements in the question, then
the other root is (α + 1), as such then the,

sum of the roots is 2α + 1 = – (–2)

2α = 2– 1

2α = 1

α = ½

product of the roots is α (α + 1) = – k

½ ( ½ + 1) = – k

¼+½ =–k

1+2 =–k
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4
3 =–k
4

k= –3
4