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Cambridge International Examination

Ordinary Level
Beaconhouse School System
Boys Campus, Canal Side

Notes, examples, hints & practice sums from Cambridge Exams for (O1, O2 & O3)

Cambridge International Syllabus

Cambridge O Level Mathematics (4024 & 0580) syllabus for 2025, 2026 and 2027

Solution of quadratic Equation Notes and Examples

 Construct expressions, equations and Includes writing a quadratic expression in
formulas. completed square form.
 Solve quadratic equations by factorization, Candidates may be expected to give solutions in
completing the square and by use of the surd form.
quadratic formula. The quadratic formula is given in the List of
formulas.
−𝒃 ± √𝒃𝟐 −𝟒𝒂𝒄
𝒙=
𝟐𝒂

Resources: 1. D-SERIES MATHEMATICS ( 5th, 6th & 7th ) Edition

By: • Dr Joseph Yeo • Teh Keng Seng • Loh Cheng Ye
• Ivy Chow • Ong Chan Hong • Jacinth Liew

2. Complete Mathematics (Extended) OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS

By: • David Rayner • Ian Bettison • Mathew Taylor

3. EDEXCEL INTERNATIONAL MATHEMATICS GCSE

By: • David Turner • Ian Potts

 Solution by taking common e.g #1 2𝑥 2 + 6𝑥 = 0

2𝑥(𝑥 + 3) = 0
2𝑥 = 0 𝑜𝑟 𝑥 + 3 = 0
𝑥 = 0 𝑜𝑟 𝑥 = −3

 Solution by mid-term breaking e.g #2 3𝑥 2 − 4𝑥 − 4 = 0

3𝑥 2 − 6𝑥 + 2𝑥 − 4 = 0 Pair Hint
𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡 = −12, 𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 = −4
3𝑥(𝑥 − 2) + 2(𝑥 − 2) = 0
3 × −4 = −12
(𝑥 − 2)(3𝑥 + 2) = 0
−6 × +2 = 12
𝑥 − 2 = 0 𝑜𝑟 3𝑥 + 2 = 0
2
𝑥 = 2 𝑜𝑟 𝑥 = − 3

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e.g #3 𝑥 2 − 7𝑥 + 12 = 0
Pair Hint
2
𝑥 − 4𝑥 − 3𝑥 + 12 = 0 𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡 = +12, 𝑠𝑢𝑚 = −7

𝑥(𝑥 − 4) − 3(𝑥 − 4) = 0 1 × 12 = 12

(𝑥 − 4)(𝑥 − 3) = 0 2 × 6 = 12

𝑥 − 4 = 0 𝑜𝑟 𝑥 − 3 = 0 −3 × −4 = +12

𝑥 = 4 𝑜𝑟 𝑥 = 3

 Completing square method e.g #4 𝑥 2 + 6𝑥 − 1 = 0

𝑥 2 + 6𝑥 + 32 = 1 + 32 𝑏𝑦 𝑎𝑑𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 32 𝑜𝑛 𝑏𝑜𝑡ℎ 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒

(𝑥 + 3)2 = 1 + 9
(𝑥 + 3)2 = 10 𝑏𝑦 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑟𝑜𝑜𝑡 𝑜𝑛 𝑏𝑜𝑡ℎ 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒

√(𝑥 + 3)2 = ± √10

𝑥 + 3 = ±3.16
𝑥 = −3 + 3.16 𝑜𝑟 𝑥 = −3 − 3.16
𝑥 = 0.16 𝑜𝑟 𝑥 = −6.16

 Using Quadratic Formula e.g #5 2𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 – 7 = 0

𝑎 = 2, 𝑏 = 3 & 𝑐 = −7

−𝒃 ± √𝒃𝟐 −𝟒𝒂𝒄
𝒙=
𝟐𝒂

−𝟑 ± √𝟑𝟐 −𝟒×𝟐×(−𝟕)
𝒙=
𝟐×𝟐

= −𝟑 ±
√𝟗+ 𝟓𝟔
𝑥 𝟒

= −𝟑 ±𝟒
√ 𝟔𝟓
𝑥

𝑥 = −𝟑 ± 𝟖.𝟎𝟔𝟐
𝟒

𝑥 = −𝟏𝟏.𝟎𝟔𝟐
𝟒
𝒐𝒓 𝑥 = 𝟓.𝟎𝟔𝟐
𝟒

𝒙 = −𝟐. 𝟕𝟔𝟓𝟓 𝒐𝒓 𝒙 = 𝟏. 𝟐𝟔𝟓𝟓

𝒙 = −𝟐. 𝟕𝟕 𝒐𝒓 𝒙 = 𝟏. 𝟐𝟕 (𝟑𝒔𝒇)

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𝑬𝑿𝑬𝑹𝑪𝑰𝑺𝑬#𝟏
1. Solve each of the following equations

i) 𝐱 𝟐 − 𝟑𝐱 = 𝟎 ii) 𝟑𝐱 − 𝟗𝐱 𝟐 = 𝟎 iii) 𝐱 𝟐 − 𝟗 = 𝟎

iv) 𝟒𝐱 𝟐 – 𝟓𝐱 – 𝟔 = 𝟎 v) 𝐱 𝟐 – 𝟓𝐱 – 𝟔 = 𝟎. vi) 𝐱 𝟐 + 𝟔𝐱 + 𝟖 = 𝟎.

vii) (𝐱 + 𝟑)𝟐 = 𝟏𝟔. Viii) (𝟕 – 𝟑𝐱)(𝐱 + 𝟐) = 𝟒 ix) (𝟓 − 𝐱 )𝟐 = 𝟕

2. Express each of the following expressions in the form (𝐱 + 𝐚)𝟐 + 𝐛,

i) 𝐱 𝟐 + 𝟖𝐱 ii) 𝐱 𝟐 − 𝟔𝐱 − 𝟑 iii) 𝐱 𝟐 − 𝟏. 𝟒𝐱

Hence, solve the equations.

i) 𝐱 𝟐 + 𝟖𝐱 = 𝟎 ii) 𝐱 𝟐 − 𝟔𝐱 − 𝟑 = 𝟎 iii) 𝐱 𝟐 − 𝟏. 𝟒𝐱 = 𝟎

3. Solve each of the following equations, giving your answers correct to 2 decimal
places. (using completing square method)

𝟔 𝟐
i) 𝒙𝟐 − 𝒙+ =𝟎 ii) 𝒙𝟐 − 𝟒. 𝟖𝒙 + 𝟐 = 𝟎 iii) (𝒙 + 𝟐)(𝒙 – 𝟓) = 𝟒𝒙
𝟕 𝟒𝟗

iv) (𝒙 + 𝟏)𝟐 = 𝟕𝒙 v) 𝒙𝟐 + 𝟎. 𝟔𝒙 – 𝟏 = 𝟎 vi) (𝒙 + 𝟒)(𝒙 – 𝟑) = 𝟏𝟓.

4. Solve each of the following equations, giving your answers correct to 2 decimal
−𝒃 ± √𝒃𝟐 −𝟒𝒂𝒄
places. (using quadratic formula 𝒙= )
𝟐𝒂

𝟑 𝟏
i) 𝟑𝒙𝟐 + 𝟒𝒙 – 𝟓 = 𝟎 ii) 𝒙𝟐 + 𝟐𝒙 − 𝟐 = 𝟎 iii) 𝟑𝒙 − 𝟒 = (𝟒𝒙 − 𝟑)𝟐
𝟒

𝟐 𝟑 𝒙+𝟏 𝟓 𝟒
iv) 𝒙+𝟐
= 𝟓𝒙 − 𝟏 v) + =𝟐 vi) =𝟐− (𝒙−𝟐)𝟐
𝒙+𝟐 𝒙−𝟓 𝒙−𝟐

𝟏 𝟐 𝟑 𝒙+𝟏 𝟒 𝒙
vii) − =𝟏 viii) + =𝟏 ix) =
𝒙𝟐 −𝟗 𝟑−𝒙 𝒙−𝟑 𝒙𝟐 −𝟓𝒙+𝟔 𝒙−𝟏 𝟐𝒙𝟐 +𝟑𝒙−𝟓

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𝑬𝑿𝑬𝑹𝑪𝑰𝑺𝑬#𝟐
1. The figure shows a right angled triangle ABC with dimension as below,

(i) If the perimeter of the triangle is 17 cm, write down an expression, in terms of x,
for the length of AB.
(ii) Hence, formulate an equation in ‘x’ and show that 2𝑥 2 − 18𝑥 + 17 = 0

(iii) Solve the equation 2𝑥 2 − 18𝑥 + 17 = 0 giving both answers correct to 3 decimal places.
(iv) Hence, find the area of the triangle.

2. Mr Lee drove from City P to City Q, which are 600 km apart. During his return journey,
his average speed was increased by 7 km/h and the time taken was 15 minutes less.
(i) If he drove at an average speed of x km/h on his journey from City P to City Q,
formulate an equation in x and show that it reduces to 𝑥 2 + 7𝑥 − 16800 = 0
(ii) Solve the equation 𝑥 2 + 7𝑥 − 16800 = 0, living both your answers correct to 2
decimal places.
(iii) Find the time taken for the return journey.

3.

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BSS BCCS Math/4024 # (92)0302-4018320