Sum and Product Roots

Lesson 6-5
 The Sum and the Product Roots
Theorem
In a quadratic whose leading coefficient is
1:

• the sum of the roots is the negative of the

coefficient of x;

• the product of the roots is the constant

term.
 Sum and Product of Roots
If the roots of ax 2  bx  c  0 with a0
b
are s1 and s2 , then s1  s2 
a
c
and s1 * s2  .
a
 Example 1
Construct the quadratic whose roots are 2 and 3.

Solution. The sum of the roots is 5, their product

is 6, therefore the quadratic is x² − 5x + 6.

The sum of the roots is the negative of the

coefficient of x. The product of the roots is the
constant term.
 Example 2
Construct the quadratic whose roots are 2 + 3 ,
2− 3 .

Solution. The sum of the roots is 4. Their

product is the Difference of two squares:
2² − ( 3 )² = 4 − 3 = 1.

The quadratic therefore is x² − 4x + 1.

 Example 3
Construct the quadratic whose roots are
2 + 3i, 2 − 3i, where i is the complex unit.

The sum of the roots is 4. The product

again is the Difference of Two Squares: 4
− 9i² = 4 + 9 = 13.

The quadratic with those roots is x² − 4x +

13.
 Example 4
Construct the quadratic whose roots are
−3, 4.

The sum of the roots is 1. Their product is

−12.
Therefore, the quadratic is x² − x − 12.
 Example 5
Construct the quadratic whose roots are 3 + 3
,3− 3 .

The sum of the roots is 6. Their product is 9 − 3

= 6.

Therefore, the quadratic is x² − 6x + 6.

 Example 6
Construct the quadratic whose roots are 2 + i 5
, 2−i 5 .

The sum of the roots is 4. Their product is

4 − ( i 5 )² = 4 + 5 = 9.

Therefore, the quadratic is x² − 4x + 9.