Maths IIT-JEE ‘Best Approach’ (MC SIR) Quadratic Equation

KEY CONCEPTS (QUADRATIC EQUATIONS)

The general form of a quadratic equation in x is , ax2 + bx + c = 0 , where a , b , c  R & a  0.
RESULTS:
b b 2 4ac
1. The solution of the quadratic equation , ax² + bx + c = 0 is given by x =
2a
The expression b2 – 4ac = D is called the discriminant of the quadratic equation.
2. If  &  are the roots of the quadratic equation ax² + bx + c = 0, then;
(i) +  = – b/a (ii)  = c/a (iii) –  = D /a .
3. NATURE OF ROOTS:
(A) Consider the quadratic equation ax² + bx + c = 0 where a, b, c  R & a  0 then ;
(i) D > 0  roots are real & distinct (unequal).
(ii) D = 0  roots are real & coincident (equal).
(iii) D < 0  roots are imaginary .
(iv) If p + i q is one root of a quadratic equation, then the other must be the
conjugate p  i q & vice versa. (p , q  R & i = 1 ).
(B) Consider the quadratic equation ax2 + bx + c = 0 where a, b, c  Q & a  0 then;
(i) If D > 0 & is a perfect square , then roots are rational & unequal.
(ii) If  = p + q is one root in this case, (where p is rational & q is a surd)
then the other root must be the conjugate of it i.e.  = p  q & vice versa.
4. A quadratic equation whose roots are  &  is (x  )(x  ) = 0 i.e.
x2  (+ ) x +  = 0 i.e. x2  (sum of roots) x + product of roots = 0.
5. Remember that a quadratic equation cannot have three different roots & if it has, it becomes an identity.
6. Consider the quadratic expression , y = ax² + bx + c , a  0 & a , b , c  R then ;
(i) The graph between x , y is always a parabola . If a > 0 then the shape of the
parabola is concave upwards & if a < 0 then the shape of the parabola is concave downwards.
(ii)  x  R , y > 0 only if a > 0 & b²  4ac < 0 (figure 3) .
(iii)  x  R , y < 0 only if a < 0 & b²  4ac < 0 (figure 6) .
Carefully go through the 6 different shapes of the parabola given below.
Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3
y y y

a>0
a>0 a>0 D<0
D>0 D=0

x1 O x2 x O x O x

Roots are real & distinct Roots are coincident Roots are complex conjugate

Fig. 4 Fig. 5 Fig. 6

y
y y

O x O x
a<0
D>0 a<0
x1 x2 a<0
D=0 D<0
O x

Roots are real & distinct Roots are coincident Roots are complex conjugate
Maths IIT-JEE ‘Best Approach’ (MC SIR) Quadratic Equation
7. SOLUTION OF QUADRATIC INEQUALITIES:
ax2 + bx + c > 0 (a  0).
(i) If D > 0, then the equation ax2 + bx + c = 0 has two different roots x1 < x2.
Then a > 0  x  (, x1)  (x2, )
a < 0  x  (x1, x2)
(ii) If D = 0, then roots are equal, i.e. x1 = x2.
In that case a > 0  x  (, x1)  (x1, )
a < 0  x 
P (x ) <
(iii) Inequalities of the form 0 can be quickly solved using the method of intervals.
Q (x ) >

8. MAXIMUM & MINIMUM VALUE of y = ax² + bx + c occurs at x =  (b/2a) according as ;

 4 ac  b 2   4 ac  b 2 
a < 0 or a > 0 . y   ,  if a > 0 & y     ,  if a < 0 .
 4a   4a 

9. COMMON ROOTS OF 2 QUADRATIC EQUATIONS [ONLY ONE COMMON ROOT] :

Let  be the common root of ax² + bx + c = 0 & ax2 + bx + c = 0 . Therefore

a ² + b+ c = 0 ; a² + b + c = 0. By Cramer’s Rule 2  1

 
bc  bc a c  ac ab  a b
ca ca bcbc
Therefore,  =  .
aba b a cac
So the condition for a common root is (ca  ca)² = (ab ab)(bc bc).
10. The condition that a quadratic function f(x , y) = ax²+ 2 hxy + by² + 2gx + 2 fy + c may be resolved
into two linear factors is that ;
a h g
abc + 2 fgh  af2  bg2  ch2 =0 OR h b f = 0.
g f c
11. THEORY OF EQUATIONS :
If 1, 2, 3, ......n are the roots of the equation;
f(x) = a0xn + a1xn-1 + a2xn-2 + .... + an-1x + an = 0 where a0, a1, .... an are all real & a0  0 then,
a1 a a a
 1 =  ,  1 2 = + 2 , 1 2 3 =  3 , ....., 1 2 3 ........n = (1)n n
a0 a 0 a0 a0
Note : (i) If  is a root of the equation f(x) = 0, then the polynomial f(x) is exactly divisible by (x ) or
(x ) is a factor of f(x) and conversely .
(ii) Every equation of nth degree (n 1) has exactly n roots & if the equation has more than n roots,
it is an identity.
(iii) If the coefficients of the equation f(x) = 0 are all real and  + i is its root, then   i is also
a root. i.e. imaginary roots occur in conjugate pairs.
(iv) If the coefficients in the equation are all rational &  +  is one of its roots, then   is also
a root where ,   Q &  is not a perfect square.
(v) If there be any two real numbers 'a' & 'b' such that f(a) & f(b) are of opposite signs, then
f(x) = 0 must have atleast one real root between 'a' and 'b' .
(vi) Every equation f(x) = 0 of degree odd has atleast one real root of a sign opposite to that of its
last term.
Maths IIT-JEE ‘Best Approach’ (MC SIR) Quadratic Equation
12. LOCATION OF ROOTS:
Let f (x) = ax2 + bx + c, where a > 0 & a, b, c  R.
(i) Conditions for both the roots of f (x) = 0 to be greater than a specified number ‘d’ are
b2  4ac  0; f (d) > 0 & ( b/2a) > d.
(ii) Conditions for both roots of f (x) = 0 to lie on either side of the number ‘d’ (in other words
the number ‘d’ lies between the roots of f (x) = 0) is f (d) < 0.
(iii) Conditions for exactly one root of f (x) = 0 to lie in the interval (d , e) i.e. d < x < e are
b2  4ac > 0 & f (d) . f (e) < 0.
(iv) Conditions that both roots of f (x) = 0 to be confined between the numbers p & q are
(p < q). b2  4ac  0; f (p) > 0; f (q) > 0 & p < ( b/2a) < q.

13. LOGARITHMIC INEQUALITIES

(i) For a > 1 the inequality 0 < x < y & loga x < loga y are equivalent.
(ii) For 0 < a < 1 the inequality 0 < x < y & loga x > loga y are equivalent.
(iii) If a > 1 then loga x < p  0 < x < ap
(iv) If a > 1 then logax > p  x > ap
(v) If 0 < a < 1 then loga x < p  x > ap
(vi) If 0 < a < 1 then logax > p  0 < x < ap

ANSWERS

Q. 1  Q. 2 (i) A (ii) A Q.3 (a, b) Q.4 (a) C, (b) B, (c) D

Q.5  =  and  =   or  =   and  = 2
2 2 2 Q.6  B Q.7 a > 1

     3  
Q.8 (a)   D ;  (b) A Q.9  2 ,  10    10 , 2  Q.10 (a)  A,  (b) 1210
   
Q.11 (a) D,   (b) (A) P, R, S;  (B) Q, S;  (C) Q, S; (D) P, R, S Q.12 B Q.13 2
Q. 14 B Q. 15 B Q. 16 C Q. 17 B
Q. 18 A Q. 19 C Q. 20 A Q. 21 D
Q. 22 A, D Q. 23 C Q.24 D Q.25 A
Q.26 D Q.27 D Q.28 D Q.29 D Q.30 D
Q.31 Bonus Q.32 A Q.33 C Q.34 C Q.35 C
Q.36 D Q.37 D Q.38 Bonus Q.39 A Q.40 C
Q.41 A Q.42 A Q.43 B Q.44 C Q.45 C
Q.46 8 Q.47 C Q.48 C Q.49 8 Q.50 B
Q.51 D Q.52 C Q.53 A Q.54 C Q.55 C
Q.56 C Q.57 A Q.58 C Q.59 C Q.60 B
Q.61 D
Maths IIT-JEE ‘Best Approach’ (MC SIR) Quadratic Equation

QUESTIONS

Q. 1 Find the values of  & , 0 < ,  < /2, satisfying the following equation [JEE '99, 6]
cos  cos  cos( + ) = –1/8

 p Q
Q. 2 (i) In a triangle PQR, R = . If tan   & tan   are the roots of the equation
2 2 2
ax2 + bx + c = 0 (a 0) then : [JEE '99, 2 + 2]
(ii) 2 2
If the roots of the equation x – 2ax + a + a – 3 = 0 are real & less than 3 then
(A) a < 2 (B) 2  a  3 (C) 3 < a  4 (D) a > 4

Q.3 If ,  are the roots of the equation, (x  a)(x  b) + c = 0, find the roots of the equation,
(x ) (x ) = c. [REE 2000 (Mains), 3]

Q.4(a) For the equation, 3 x2 + px + 3 = 0 , p > 0 if one of the roots is square of the other, then p is equal to:
(A) 1/3 (B) 1 (C) 3 (D) 2/3
(b) If  &  ( < ), are the roots of the equation, x2 + bx + c = 0, where c < 0 < b, then
(A) 0 <  <  (B)  < 0 < < 
(C) <  < 0 (D) < 0 <  < 
Maths IIT-JEE ‘Best Approach’ (MC SIR) Quadratic Equation
(c) If b > a , then the equation, (x  a) (x  b)  1 = 0, has :
(A) both roots in [a, b] (B) both roots in (a)
(C) both roots in [b) (D) one root in (a) & other in (b, +)
[JEE 2000 Screening, 1 + 1 + 1 out of 35]
(d) If ,  are the roots of ax2 + bx + c = 0, (a  0) and  +  ,  +  , are the roots of,
Ax2 + Bx + C = 0, (A  0) for some constant , then prove that,
b 2 4ac B 2 4AC
= . [JEE 2000, Mains, 4 out of 100]
a2 A2
Q.5 Let a, b, c be real numbers with a  0 and let  be the roots of the equation
ax2 + bx + c = 0. Express the roots of a3x2 + abcx + c3 = 0 in terms of 
[JEE 2001, Mains, 5 out of 100]

Q.6 The set of all real numbers x for which x2 – |x + 2| + x > 0, is

(A) (–, –2) U (2, ) (B) (–, – 2 ) U ( 2 , )
(C) (–, –1) U (1, ) (D) ( 2 , ) [JEE 2002 (screening), 3]

Q.7 If x2 + (a – b)x + (1 – a – b) = 0 where a, b  R then find the values of ‘a’ for which equation has
unequal real roots for all values of ‘b’. [JEE 2003, Mains-4 out of 60]

Q.8(a) If one root of the equation x2 + px + q = 0 is the square of the other, then
(A) p3 + q2 – q(3p + 1) = 0 (B) p3 + q2 + q(1 + 3p) = 0
(C) p3 + q2 + q(3p – 1) = 0 (D) p3 + q2 + q(1 – 3p) = 0
(b) If x2 + 2ax + 10 – 3a > 0 for all x  R, then
(A) – 5 < a < 2 (B) a < – 5 (C) a > 5 (D) 2 < a < 5
[JEE 2004 (Screening)]

1  2 x  5x 2   
Q.9 Find the range of values of t for which 2 sin t = , t  2 , 2  .
3x 2  2x  1  
[JEE 2005(Mains), 2]

Q.10(a) Let a, b, c be the sides of a triangle. No two of them are equal and   R. If the roots of the equation
x2 + 2(a + b + c)x + 3(ab + bc + ca) = 0 are real, then
4 5 1 5  4 5
(A)   (B)   (C)    ,  (D)    , 
3 3 3 3  3 3
[JEE 2006, 3]
(b) If roots of the equation x 2  10cx  11d  0 are a, b and those of x2 – 10ax – 11b = 0 are c, d, then find
the value of a + b + c + d. (a, b, c and d are distinct numbers) [JEE 2006, 6]

Q.11(a) Let ,  be the roots of the equation x2 – px + r = 0 and  2 , 2 be the roots of the equation
x2 – qx + r = 0. Then the value of 'r' is
2 2 2 2
(A) (p–q)(2q – p) (B) (q – p)(2p – q) (C) (q – 2p)(2q – p) (D) (2p–q)(2q – p)
9 9 9 9
Maths IIT-JEE ‘Best Approach’ (MC SIR) Quadratic Equation
MATCH THE COLUMN:
x 2  6x  5
(b) Let f (x) =
x 2  5x  6
Match the expressions / statements in Column I with expressions / statements in Column II.
Column I Column II
(A) If – 1 < x < 1, then f (x) satisfies (P) 0 < f (x) < 1
(B) If 1 < x < 2, the f (x) satisfies (Q) f (x) < 0
(C) If 3 < x < 5, then f (x) satisfies (R) f (x) > 0
(D) If x > 5, then f (x) satisfies (S) f (x) < 1 [JEE 2007, 3+6]

ASSERTION & REASON:

Q.12 Let a, b, c, p, q be real numbers. Suppose ,  are the roots of the equation x2 + 2px + q = 0 and
, 1  are the roots of the equation ax2 + 2bx + c = 0, where 2  {–1, 0, 1}
STATEMENT-1 : (p2 – q)(b2 – ac)  0
and
STATEMENT-2 : b  pa or c  qa
(A) Statement-1 is True, Statement-2 is True; Statement-2 is a correct explanation for Statement-1
(B) Statement-1 is True, Statement-2 is True; Statement-2 is NOT a correct explanation for Statement-1
(C) Statement-1 is True, Statement-2 is False
(D) Statement-1 is False, Statement-2 is True [JEE 2008, 3 (–1)]

Q.13 The smallest value of k, for which both the roots of the equation, x2 – 8kx + 16(k2 – k + 1) = 0 are real,
distinct and have values at least 4, is [JEE 2009, 4 (–1)]

Q. 14 Let p and q be real numbers such that p  0, p3  q and p3 – q. If  and  are non zero complex
 
number satisfying  = – p and 3 +3 = q, then a quadratic equation having and as its roots
 
is [JEE 2010]
(A) (p3 + q)x2 – (p3 + 2q) x + (p3 + q) = 0 (B) (p3 + q)x2 – (p3 – 2q) x + (p3 + q) = 0
(C) (p3 – q)x2 – (5p3 – 2q) x + (p3 – q) = 0 (D) (p3 – q)x2 – (5p3 + 2q) x + (p3 – q) = 0
Q. 15 A value of b for which the equations [JEE 2011]
x2 + bx – 1 = 0
x2 + x + b = 0,
have one root in common is
(A)  2 (B) i 3 (C) i 5 (D) 2
Q. 16 Let  and  be the roots of x – 6x – 2 = 0, with  >. If an =  – n for n  1, then the value of
2 n

a10  2a 8
2a 9 is : [JEE 2011]

(A) 1 (B) 2 (C) 3 (D) 4

Q. 17 If the equations x2 + 2x + 3 = 0 and ax2 + bx + c = 0, a, b , c  R, have a common root, then a : b : c
is [IIT Main 2013]
(A) 3 : 1 : 2 (B) 1 : 2 : 3 (C) 3 : 2 : 1 (D) 1 : 3 : 2
Q. 18 The real number k for which the equation, 2x3 + 3x + k = 0 has two distinct real roots in [0, 1]
(A) does not exist (B) lies between 1 and 2 [IIT Main 2013]
(C) lies between 2 and 3 (D) lies between –1 and 0
Maths IIT-JEE ‘Best Approach’ (MC SIR) Quadratic Equation
Q. 19 The number of values of k, for which the system of equations : [IIT Mains 2013]
(k + 1) x + 8y = 4k
kx + (k + 3)y = 3k – 1 has no solution, is
(A) 3 (B)infinite (C) 1 (D) 2

1 1
Q. 20 Let and  be the roots of equation px2 + qx + r = 0, p  0. If p, q, r are in A.P. and  = 4, then
 
the value of | – | is : [IIT Mains 2014]
2 13 61 2 17 34
(A) (B) (C) (D)
9 9 9 9

Q. 21 Let  and  be the roots of equation x2 – 6x – 2 = 0. If an = n – n, for n  1, then the value of
a10  2a 8
is equal to : [IIT Mains 2015]
2a 9
(A) –3 (B) 6 (C) –6 (D) 3

Q. 22 Let S be the set of all non-zero real numbers  such that the quadratic equation x2 – x +  = 0 has two
distinct real roots x1 and x2 satisfying the inequality |x1 – x2| < 1. Which of the following intervals is(are)
a subset(s) of S ? [IITAdv. 2015]
 1 1   1   1   1 1
(A)   ,   (B)   ,0  (C)  0,  (D)  , 
 2 5  5   5  5 2

 
Q. 23 Let      . Suppose 1 and 1 are the roots of equation x2 – 2x sec + 1 = 0 and 2 and 2
6 12
are the roots of the equation x2 + 2x tan – 1 = 0. If 1 > 1 and 2 > 2, then 1 + 2 equals
(A) 2(sec – tan) (B) 2 sec [IITAdv. 2016]
(C) –2 tan (D) 0

Q.24 If for a positive integer n, the quadratic equation, x(x + 1) + (x + 1)(x + 2)....+(x + n  1 )
(x + n) = 10n has two consecutive integral solutions, then n is equal to [JEE Mains 2017]
(A) 12 (B) 9 (C) 10 (D) 11

Paragraph
Let p, q be integers and let ,  be the roots of the equation, x 2 – x – 1 = 0, where .
For n = 0, 1, 2,.... let a n = pn + a n . [JEE Adv. 2017]
Fact : It a and b are rational numbers a + b 5 = 0, then a = 0 = b.

Q.25 If a 4 = 28, then p + 2q =

(A) 12 (B) 14 (C) 7 (D) 21

Q.26 a 12 =
(A) a 11 + 2a 10 (B) a 11 – a 10 (C) 2a 11 + a 10 (D) a 11 + a 10
Maths IIT-JEE ‘Best Approach’ (MC SIR) Quadratic Equation
Q.27 If  C are the distinct roots, of the equation x 2 – x + 1 = 0, then a 101 + b 107 is equal to
: [JEE Mains 2018]
(A) 2 (B) –1 (C) 0 (D) 1

Q.28 Let S = {x  R : x  0 and 2 x – 3 + x  

x – 6 + 6 = 0} . Then S : [JEE Mains 2018]
(A) contains exactly four elements. (B) is an empty set.
(C) contains exactly one element. (D) contains exactly two elements.


Q.29 If  and  are the roots of the quadratic equation, x2 + xsin – 2sin= 0,   0,  , then
 2

12  12
  12  12      24 is equal to : [JEE Mains 2019]

26 212 212 212

(A) (B) (C) (D)
(sin   8)12 (sin   8)6 (sin   4)12 (sin   8)12

Q.30 If m is chosen in the quadratic equation (m2 + 1) x2 – 3x + (m2 + 1)2 = 0 such that the sum of its roots is
greatest, then the absolute difference of the cubes of its roots is : [JEE Mains 2019]
(A) 8 3 (B) 4 3 (C) 10 5 (D) 8 5
Q.31 Let p, q  R. If 2  3 is a root of the quadratic equation, x2 + px + q = 0, then :
[JEE Mains 2019]
(A) q2 + 4p + 14 = 0 (B) p2 – 4q – 12 = 0 (C) q2 – 4p – 16 = 0 (D) p2 – 4q + 12 = 0

Q.32 The number of integral values of m for which the equation [JEE Mains 2019]
(1 + m2)x2 – 2(1 + 3m) x + (1 + 8m) = 0 has no real root is :
(A) infinitelymany (B) 2 (C) 3 (D) 1
Q.33 The sum of the solutions of the equation [JEE Mains 2019]
| x  2 |  x  x  4   2  0, (x  0) is equal to :
(A) 4 (B) 9 (C) 10 (D) 12
n

Q.34 If  and  be the roots of the equation x2 – 2x + 2 = 0, then the least value of n for which    1

is : [JEE Mains 2019]
(A) 2 (B) 3 (C) 4 (D) 5
Q.35 The number of integral value of m for which the quadratic expression, (1 + 2m) x2 – 2 (1 + 3m) x +
4 (1 +m), x  R, is always positive, is: [JEE Mains 2019]
(A) 3 (B) 8 (C) 7 (D) 6
Q.36 If one real root of the quadratic equation 81x2 + kx + 256 = 0 is cube of the other root, then a value of
k is : [JEE Mains 2019]
(A) –81 (B) 100 (C) 144 (D) –300
Maths IIT-JEE ‘Best Approach’ (MC SIR) Quadratic Equation

Q.37 The value of  such that sum of the squares of the roots of the quadratic equation,
x2 + (3 – ) x + 2 = has the least value is: [JEE Mains 2019]
15 4
(A) (B) 1 (C) (D) 2
8 9

Q.38 If both the roots of the quadratic equation x2 – mx + 4 = 0 are real and distinct and they lie in the interval
[1, 5], then m lies in the interval : [JEE Mains 2019]

(A) (4, 5) (B) (3, 4) (C) (5, 6) (D) (–5, –4)

Q.39 Let  and  be two roots of the equation x2 + 2x + 2 = 0, then 15 + 15 is equal to
[JEE Mains 2019]
(A) 256 (B) 512 (C) 512 (D) 256
Q.40 The number of all possible positive integral values of  for which the roots of the quadratic equation,
6x2 – 11x +  = 0are rational numbers is: [JEE Mains 2019]
(A) 2 (B) 5 (C) 3 (D) 4
Q.41 Consider the quadratic equation (c–5)x2 – 2 cx + (c – 4) = 0, c  5. Let S be the set of all integral values
of c for which one root of the equation lies in the interval (0,2) and its other root lies in the interval
(2, 3). Then the number of elements in S is: [JEE Mains 2019]
(A) 11 (B) 18 (C) 10 (D) 12
Q.42 Let  and be the roots of the quadratic equation x 2 sin   x(sin  cos   1)  cos   0

 n  1n 


 0    45  , and    . Then     n  is equal to:- [JEE Mains 2019]

n 0   
1 1 1 1
(A)  (B) 
1  cos  1  sin  1  cos  1  sin 
1 1 1 1
(C)  (D) 
1  cos  1  sin  1  cos  1  sin 

Q.43 If  be the ratio of the roots of the quadratic equation in x, 3m2x2+m(m-4)x+2=0, then the least value of
1
m for which    1 , is: [JEE Mains 2019]

(A) 2  3 (B) 4  3 2 (C) 2  2 (D) 4  2 3