MODULE 1: QUADRATIC EQUATIONS & INEQUALITIES

LESSON 8:

Sum and Product of Roots of

Quadratic Equations

Given the quadratic equation ax2 + bx + c = 0, the sum and product of the roots r1 and
r2 can be obtained by:

Sum of the Roots Product of the Roots

b c
r1 + r2 = - r1  r2 =
a a

The quadratic equation with roots r1 and r2 can be obtained by:

x2 – (r1 + r2)x + (r1 ● r2) = 0

Example 1: Find the sum and product of the roots of the following quadratic
equations.
(a) x2 + 5x + 4 = 0 (c) 3x2 – 2x – 1 = 0
(b) x2 – 8x – 15 = 0

Solution: (a) x2 + 5x + 4 = 0 a = 1; b = 5; c = 4
c b
r1  r2 = r1 +r2 = -
a a
4 5
r1 + r2 = r1 + r2 = -
1 1
r1  r2 = 4 r1 + r2 = -5

(b) x2 – 8x – 15 = 0 a = 1; b = -8; c = -15

c b
r1  r2 = r1 +r2 = -
a a
15 (8)
r1 + r2 = r1 + r2 = -
1 1
r1  r2 = -15 r1 + r2 = 8
 (c) 3x2 – 2x – 1 = 0 a = 3; b = -2; c = -1
c b
r1  r2 = r1 +r2 = -
a a
1 (2)
r1 + r2 = r1 + r2 = -
3 3
1 2
r1  r2 = - r1 + r2 =
3 3

Example 2: Give the quadratic equation given the roots in each of the following.
(a) 3 and -5 (c) and
(b) and (d) and

Solution: We have to solve for the sum and product first.

(a) 3 and -5
r1 + r2 = 3 + (-5) r1 ● r2 = (3)(-5)
= -2 = -15

Substituting we have,
x2 – (r1 + r2)x + (r1 ● r2) = 0
x2 + 2x – 15 = 0

Therefore, the quadratic equation whose roots are 3 and -5 is x2 + 2x – 15 = 0.

1 2
(b) and 
3 5
1 2
r1 + r 2 = 
3 5
5(1) - 3(2)  1  2 
 r1 ● r2 =    
15  3  5 
1 2
= =
15 15

x2 – (r1 + r2)x + (r1 ● r2) = 0

1 2
x2  x   0
15 15
15x2 + x – 2 = 0
1 2
Therefore, the quadratic equation whose roots are and  is 15x2 + x – 2 = 0.
3 5
 (c) 3 and 3
r1 + r 2 = 3  3 r1 ● r 2 =  3   3 
=0 = -3

x2 – (r1 + r2)x + (r1 ● r2) = 0

x2 – 3 = 0

The quadratic equation whose roots are 3 and  3 is x2 – 3 = 0.

(d) 2  2 and 2  2
r1 + r 2 = 2  2 + 2  2  
r1 ● r2 = 2  2 2  2 
=4 =4–2
=2

x2 – (r1 + r2)x + (r1 ● r2) = 0

x2 – 4x + 2 = 0

The quadratic equation whose roots are 2  2 and 2  2 is x2 – 4x + 2 = 0.

Problem Set No. 8

A. Determine the sum and product of roots of the following quadratic equations.

ax2 + bx + c = 0 Sum of the Roots Product of the Roots

1. n2 – 5n + 6 = 0
2. y2 – 7y – 2 = 0
3. a2 + 4a – 5 = 0
4. 2x2 + x – 5 = 0
5. 3x2 – x – 3 = 0
6. 2p2 – 2p – 1 = 0
7. 3x2 – 2x – 8 = 0
B. Complete the table below.

Roots r1 + r2 r1 ● r2 ax2 + bx + c = 0
1. 1 and 4
2. -2 and 5
3. -2 and -4
1 1
4. and
3 4
3 5
5.  and
5 2
7 6
6.  and 
3 5

7. 5 and  5

8. 2 7 and 2 7

9. 3  11

10. 5  2 3

Worksheet Web Link:

http://www.mathworksheets4kids.com/equations/quadratic/sum-product-2.pdf