HKDSE MATHS UNIT 5.

2 Nature of Quadratic Roots

Nature of Quadratic Roots 7. Find the range of values of k such that the
quadratic equation x2 + 2x – k = 2 has two
1. The equation x2 + kx + k = 0 has equal roots distinct real roots.
(k being a constant). k = A. k > –3
A. 4 only. B. k –3
B. –4 only. C. k > –1
C. 0 or 4. D. k –1
D. 0 or –4. [2006-CE-MATHS 2-9]
E. 4 or –4.
[1984-CE-MATHS 2-10]
8. If the quadratic equation x2 + bx + 4b = 0
has equal roots, then b =
2. If the equation x2 – 6x + k = 0 has real roots,
find all possible values of k. A. 4.
B. 16 .
A. k 9 C. 0 or 4 .
B. k –9 D. 0 or 16 .
C. k=9 [2009-CE-MATHS 2-8]
D. k 9
E. k –9
9. Let k be a constant. Find the range of values
[1998-CE-MATHS 2-9]
of k such that the quadratic equation x2 + 6x
+ k = 3 has no real roots.
3. Which of the following equations has / have
A. k < 9
equal roots ?
B. k > 9
(1) x2 = x C. k < 12
(2) x2 + 2x + 1 = 0 D. k > 12
(3) (x + 3)2 = 1 [2010-CE-MATHS 2-10]

A. (2) only
B. (3) only
C. (1) and (2) only
D. (1) and (3) only HKDSE Problems
[2002-CE-MATHS 2-7]
10. Find the range of values of k such that the
4. If the equation x2 – 4x + k = 1 has no real quadratic equation x2 – 6x = 2 – k has no real
roots, then the range of values of k is roots.

A. k > 4. A. k < –7
B. k 4. B. k > –7
C. k > 5. C. k < 11
D. k 5. D. k > 11
[SP-DSE-MATHS 2-7]
[2003-CE-MATHS 2-5]

5. If the equation 4x2 + kx + 9 = 0 has equal 11. Let k be a constant. If the quadratic equation
positive roots, then k = 3x2 + 2kx – k = 0 has equal roots, then k =

A. –6 . A. –3 .
B. 6. B. 3.
C. –12 . C. –3 or 0 .
D. 12 . D. 0 or 3 .
[2004-CE-MATHS 2-6] [PP-DSE-MATHS 2-6]

6. If the quadratic equation kx2 + 6x + (6 – k) = 12. Let a be a constant. If the quadratic equation
0 has equal roots, then k = x2 + ax + a = 1 has equal roots, then a =
A. –6 . A. –1 .
B. –3 . B. 2.
C. 3. C. 0 or –4 .
D. 6. D. 0 or 4 .
[2005-CE-MATHS 2-8] [2014-DSE-MATHS 2-4]

Past Paper Review (Multiple Choice) P. 82

 HKDSE MATHS UNIT 5.2 Nature of Quadratic Roots

13. If k is a constant such that the quadratic

equation x2 + kx + 8k + 36 = 0 has equal
roots, then k =
A. –6 .
B. 12 .
C. –4 or 36 .
D. –18 or 2 .
[2016-DSE-MATHS 2-8]

Past Paper Review (Multiple Choice) P. 83

 HKDSE MATHS UNIT 5.3 Relations between Quadratic Roots

Relations between Quadratic Roots 5. If and are the roots of 3x2 – x – 1 = 0 ,

1 1
then 2 + 2 =
1. If and arethe roots of equation
1 1 A. 7.
x2 + 3x + 7 = 0 , then + = B. 3.
10 C. 1.
A. . D. –1 .
21
3 E. –5 .
B. . [1984-CE-MATHS 2-5]
7
7
C. .
3 6. If and are the roots of x2 + 2x – 4 = 0 ,
3 then 2 · 2 =
D. – .
7 1
7 A. .
E. – . 16
3 1
B. .
[1978-CE-MATHS 2-12] 4
C. 2 .
D. 4 .
2. One of the roots of the quadratic equation E. 16 .
3x2 + kx + 2 = 0 is 2. The other root is [1985-CE-MATHS 2-9]
A. 1.
2 7. If and are the roots of the equation
B. .
3 2
2
1 2x + x + 3 = 0 , find the value of – .
C. . +
3
A. –3
1 B. –2
D. – .
3 C. 2
2 D. 3
E. – .
3 E. It cannot be determined.
[1978-CE-MATHS 2-32] [1986-CE-MATHS 2-6]

3. 6x2 + kx + 6 = 0 is a quadratic equation in 8. If andare the two roots of x2 – 8x – 4

which k is a constant. Its roots and are 1 1
= 0 , then the value of + is
positive. log10 + log10 =
A. 0. A. –2 .
1
B. 1. B. – .
2
C. log10 6 . 1
D. log10 (–k) . C. – .
4
k 1
E. log10 (– ) . D. .
6 2
[1981-CE-MATHS 2-31] E. 2.
[1988-CE-MATHS 2-4]

4. If and are the roots of 2x2 – 3x – 4 = 0 ,

2
then +3 + 2 = 9. If p and q are the roots of the equation
1 x2 – x + 3 = 0 , then (2 p–2)(2q–2) =
A. . 1
4 A. .
1 32
B. 4 . 1
4 B. .
8
C. 5.
1
1 C. .
D. 8 . 2
4
D. 8 .
E. 13 . E. 32 .
[1983-CE-MATHS 2-7] [1990-CE-MATHS 2-8]

Past Paper Review (Multiple Choice) P. 84

 HKDSE MATHS UNIT 5.3 Relations between Quadratic Roots

10. If and are the roots of the quadratic 14. The difference of the roots of the equation
equation x2 – 3x – 1 = 0 , find the value of 7
2x2 – 5x + k = 0 is . Find k.
1 1 2
+ .
A. –6
A. –3 B. –3
B. –1 3
C. –
1 2
C. – D. 3
3
2 51
D. E.
3 16
E. 3 [1997-CE-MATHS 2-30]

[1993-CE-MATHS 2-12]

15. If a, b are distinct real numbers and

a2 + 4a + 1 = 0 2 2
b2 + 4b + 1 = 0 , find a + b .
2
3 –h –b = 0
11. If and 2 , then
3 –h –b = 0
+ = A. 1
B. 9
b
A. – . C. 14
3
b D. 16
B. . E. 18
3
C. h. [2001-CE-MATHS 2-39]
h
D. – .
3
h 16. Let k be a constant. If and are the roots
E. . of the equation x2 – 3x + k = 0 , then
3 2
+3 =
[1994-CE-MATHS 2-8]
A. 3 – k.
B. 3 + k.
12. If , are the roots of the equation C. 9 – k.
x2 – 4x – 3 = 0 , then 2 + + 2 =
D. 9 + k.
A. –13 . [2003-CE-MATHS 2-41]
B. 5.
C. 13 .
2
D. 16 . = 4 +3
17. If and 2 , then
E. 19 . = 4 +3
( + 1)( + 1) =
[1995-CE-MATHS 2-39]
A. –6 .
B. 0.
13. If and are the roots of the equation C. 2.
2x2 + 4x – 3 = 0 , find + . D. 8.
[2004-CE-MATHS 2-42]
22
A. –
3
16 18. If the sum and the product of two numbers
B. –
3 are 34 and 120 respectively, then the
14 difference between the two numbers is
C. –
3
A. 24 .
8
D. – B. 26 .
3
2 C. 28 .
E. D. 30 .
3
[1996-CE-MATHS 2-11] [2008-CE-MATHS 2-41]

Past Paper Review (Multiple Choice) P. 85

 HKDSE MATHS UNIT 5.3 Relations between Quadratic Roots

Quadratic Equations of Given Roots HKDSE Problems

23. If the roots of the quadratic equation

19. If the roots of ax2 + bx + c = 0 are p and q, x2 – kx + 3 = 0 are and , then 3
+ 3 =
then the roots of 4ax2 + 2bx + c = 0 are
A. k3 .
A. p and q. B. k3 – 3k .
B. 2p and 2q. C. k3 – 9k .
D. k3 – 12k .
C. 4p and 4q. [PP-DSE-MATHS 2-33]
1 1
D. p and q.
2 2 2
3 = –5
1 1 24. If and 2 , then =
E. p and q. 3 = –5
4 4
A. 3.
[1977-CE-MATHS 2-18] B. –3 .
C. 5.
D. –5 .
[2013-DSE-MATHS 2-35]
20. and are the roots of the equation
2
x – 5x – 7 = 0 . What is the equation whose
roots are + 1 and + 1? 25. If is a root of the equation 4x2 – 5x – 1 =
0 , then 7 + 10 – 8 2 =
A. x2 – 3x + 3 = 0
B. x2 – 3x – 11 = 0 A. 5.
B. 7.
C. x2 – 5x + 1 = 0 C. 9.
D. x2 – 7x – 1 = 0 D. 11 .
[2015-DSE-MATHS 2-7]
E. x2 – 7x – 7 = 0
[1982-CE-MATHS 2-6]
26. Let k be a constant. If the roots of the
quadratic equation x2 + kx – 2 = 0 are and
, then 2 + 2 =
21. If the roots of a quadratic equation are
a + b and a – b , then the equation is A. k2 .
B. k2 + 4 .
A. x2 – (a2 – b)x + a = 0 . C. k2 – 4 .
D. k2 – 8 .
B. x2 + (a2 – b)x + 2a = 0 .
[2015-DSE-MATHS 2-34]
C. x2 + 2ax – a2 + b = 0 .
D. x2 + 2ax + a2 – b = 0 .
E. x2 – 2ax + a2 – b = 0 .
[1988-CE-MATHS 2-8]

22. If p is a root of ax2 + bx + c = 0 , which of

x–3 2 x–3
the following is a root of a( ) + b( )
2 2
+ c = 0?

A. 2p + 3
B. 2p – 3
C. 3 – 2p
p+3
D.
2
p–3
E.
2
[1989-CE-MATHS 2-44]

Past Paper Review (Multiple Choice) P. 86