Quadratic Equation

by Factorization

Vaibhav Sunak
Table of contents
What is a quadratic equation?

Four basic forms and the splits

Two tricks to split the middle term

When roots are a multiple of a same number
Example
When the middle term is an odd number
Example

Miscellaneous
What is a quadratic equation?

Quadratic equations are second-degree algebraic expressions and are

of the form ax2 + bx + c = 0. The word ”Quadratic” is derived
from the word ”Quad” which means square. In other words, a
quadratic equation is an equation of degree 2.
Four basic forms and the splits

Sum ax 2 + bx + c = 0 ax 2 − bx + c = 0

+Big +Small -Big -Small

Difference ax 2 + bx − c = 0 ax 2 − bx − c = 0

+Big -Small -Big +Small

Two tricks to split the middle term

▶ When roots are a multiple of a same number

▶ When the middle term is a odd number
When roots are a multiple of a same number
Let the roots of a quadratic equation be multiples of ’a’ then the
roots will be of the form aα and aβ. The quadratic equation will
be of the form.

(x − aα) (x − aβ) = 0
x 2 − aαx − aβx + (aα) (aβ) = 0
x 2 − a (α + β) x + a2 αβ = 0

This means that the common factor (i.e. ’a’) will appear once in
the middle term and twice in product of first and last term. We can
neglect ’a’ while splitting the middle term.
For example:-

x2 + 24x + 63 = 0
2 24
7 63
2 12
3 9
2 6
3 3
3 3
1 1
1 1

Now we neglect ’3’ from prime factors of 24 and ’32 ’ from prime
factors of 63.
Since the middle term and product of first and the last terms are
positive, the splits of the middle term will be both positive.
Remaining factors of 24 make 8 and of 63 are 7 and 1. Sum of 7
and 1 is 8 which means that 7 and 1 are the splits of the middle
term which is 8. But these are not complete splits as we have
neglected ’3’. In order to get the complete splits we must multiply
the incomplete splits with the common factors of the roots( i.e.
3) which makes the splits 21 and 3.
 x 2 + 21x + 3x + 63 = 0
x (x + 21) + 3 (x + 21) = 0
(x + 3) (x + 21) = 0
x + 3 = 0 and x + 21 = 0
x = −3 and x = −21

So in this way by neglecting the common factor of the roots we can

find the splits of the middle term easily.
When the middle term is an odd number

We must know three things:-

▶ Even + Even = Even
▶ Even + Odd = Odd
▶ Odd + Odd = Even
If the middle term is an odd number then we must manipulate the
product of first and the last term in two such number in which one
is even and the another one is odd. This can be done by isolating
the 2’s in the prime factorization of the product of first and the last
term.
For example:-
3x2 + 29x + 68 = 0
2 204
2 102
29 29
3 51
1 1
17 17
1 1
Now we isolate 2’s and try different combinations.
4 × 3 = 12 and 17 (1)
4 × 17 = 68 and 3 (2)
4×1=4 and 51 (3)
4 × 3 × 17 = 204 and 1 (4)
Option number one will be the split as the sum of 12 and 17 is 29.

3x 2 + 17x + 12x + 68 = 0
x (3x + 17) + 4 (3x + 17) = 0
(x + 4) (3x + 17) = 0
x + 4 = 0 and 3x + 17 = 0
17
x = −4 and x = −
3
Miscellaneous

x2 − 36x + 324 = 0
2 324
2 36 2 162
2 18 3 81
3 9 3 27
3 3 3 9
1 1 3 3
1 1
x 2 − 18x − 18x + 324 = 0
x (x − 18) − 18 (x − 18) = 0
(x − 18) (x − 18) = 0
x − 18 = 0 and x − 18 = 0
x = 18 and x = 18
8x2 + 58x + 39 = 0
2 312
2 156
2 58
2 78
29 29
3 39
1 1
13 13
1 1
8x 2 + 52x + 6x + 39 = 0
4x (2x + 13) + 3 (2x + 13) = 0
(4x + 3) (2x + 13) = 0
4x + 3 = 0 and 2x + 13 = 0
3 13
x = − and x = −
4 2
 √
x2 − 3 3x − 162 = 0
2 162
√ √ 3 81
3 3 3
3 27
3 3
3 9
1 1
3 3
1 1
 √ √
x 2 − 9 3x + 6 3 − 162 = 0
 √  √  √ 
x x −9 3 +6 3 x −9 3 =0
 √  √ 
x +6 3 x −9 3 =0
√ √
x + 6 3 = 0 and x − 9 3 = 0
√ √
x = −6 3 and x = 9 3