QUADRATIC

EQUATIONS
MSJC ~ San Jacinto Campus
Math Center Workshop Series

Janice Levasseur

Basics
A quadratic equation is an equation
equivalent to an equation of the type
ax2 + bx + c = 0, where a is nonzero
We can solve a quadratic equation by
factoring and using The Principle of Zero
Products
If ab = 0, then either a = 0, b = 0, or both a
and b = 0.

Ex: Solve (4t + 1)(3t 5) = 0

Notice the equation as given is of the form ab = 0
set each factor equal to 0 and solve
4t + 1 = 0 Subtract 1
Divide by 4
4t = 1
t=
3t 5 = 0 Add 5
Divide by 3
3t = 5
t = 5/3
Solution: t = - and 5/3 t = {- , 5/3}

Ex: Solve x2 + 7x + 6 = 0
Quadratic equation factor the left hand side (LHS)
x2 + 7x + 6 = (x + 6 )(x + 1 )
x2 + 7x + 6 = (x + 6)(x + 1) = 0
Now the equation as given is of the form ab = 0
set each factor equal to 0 and solve
x+6=0
x+1=0
x=1
x=6
Solution: x = - 6 and 1 x = {-6, -1}

Ex: Solve x2 + 10x = 25

Quadratic equation but not of the form ax2 + bx + c = 0
Add 25 x2 + 10x + 25 = 0
Quadratic equation factor the left hand side (LHS)
x2 + 10x + 25 = (x + 5 )(x + 5 )
x2 + 10x + 25 = (x + 5)(x + 5) = 0
Now the equation as given is of the form ab = 0
set each factor equal to 0 and solve
x+5=0
x=5

x+5=0
x=5

Solution: x = - 5 x = {- 5} repeated root

Ex: Solve 12y2 5y = 2

Quadratic equation but not of the form ax2 + bx + c = 0
Subtract 2 12y2 5y 2 = 0
Quadratic equation factor the left hand side (LHS)
ac method a = 12 and c = 2
ac = (12)(-2) = - 24 factors of 24 that sum to - 5
1&-24, 2&-12, 3&-8, . . .
12y2 5y 2 = 12y2 + 3y 8y 2
= 3y(4y + 1) 2(4y + 1)
= (3y 2)(4y + 1)

 12y2 5y 2 = 0
12y2 5y 2 = (3y - 2)(4y + 1) = 0
Now the equation as given is of the form ab = 0
set each factor equal to 0 and solve
3y 2 = 0

4y + 1 = 0

3y = 2

4y = 1

y = 2/3

y=

Solution: y = 2/3 and y = {2/3, - }

Ex: Solve 5x2 = 6x

Quadratic equation but not of the form ax2 + bx + c = 0
Subtract 6x 5x2 6x = 0
Quadratic equation factor the left hand side (LHS)
5x2 6x = x( 5x 6 )
5x2 6x = x(5x 6) = 0
Now the equation as given is of the form ab = 0
set each factor equal to 0 and solve
5x 6 = 0
x=0
5x = 6
x = 6/5
Solution: x = 0 and 6/5 x = {0, 6/5}

Solving by taking square roots

An alternate method of solving a quadratic
equation is using the Principle of Taking
the Square Root of Each Side of an
Equation
If x2 = a, then x = + a

Ex: Solve by taking square roots 3x2 36 = 0

First, isolate x2: 3x2 36 = 0
3x2 = 36
x2 = 12
Now take the square root of both sides:

x 12
x 12
2

x 2 2 3

x2 3

Ex: Solve by taking square roots 4(z 3)2 = 100

First, isolate the squared factor:
4(z 3)2 = 100
(z 3)2 = 25
Now take the square root of both sides:

(z 3) 25
2

z 3 25
z3=+5
z=3+5
z = 3 + 5 = 8 and z = 3 5 = 2

Ex: Solve by taking square roots 5(x + 5)2 75 = 0

First, isolate the squared factor:
5(x + 5)2 = 75
(x + 5)2 = 15
Now take the square root of both sides:
2

( x 5 ) 15
x 5 15
x 5 15
x 5 15 , x 5 15

Completing the Square

Recall from factoring that a Perfect-Square
Trinomial is the square of a binomial:
Perfect square Trinomial
x2 + 8x + 16
x2 6x + 9

Binomial Square
(x + 4)2
(x 3)2

The square of half of the coefficient of x

equals the constant term:
( * 8 )2 = 16
[ (-6)]2 = 9

Completing the Square

Write the equation in the form x2 + bx = c
Add to each side of the equation [(b)] 2
Factor the perfect-square trinomial
x2 + bx + [(b)] 2 = c + [(b)]2

Take the square root of both sides of the

equation
Solve for x

Ex: Solve w2 + 6w + 4 = 0 by completing the square

First, rewrite the equation with the constant on one
side of the equals and a lead coefficient of 1.
w2 + 6
6w = 4
Add [(b)]2 to both sides: b = 6 [(6)]2 = 32 = 9
w2 + 6w + 9 = 4 + 9
w2 + 6w + 9 = 5
(w + 3)2 = 5
Now take the square root of both sides

( w 3) 5
2

w 3 5

w 3 5
w {3 5,3 5}

Ex: Solve 2r2 = 3 5r by completing the square

First, rewrite the equation with the constant on one
side of the equals and a lead coefficient of 1.
2r2 + 5r = 3

r2 + (5/2)r
(5/2) = (3/2)

Add [(b)]2 to both sides: b = 5/2 [(5/2)]2 = (5/4)2

r2 + (5/2)r + 25/16 = (3/2) + 25/16
= 25/16
r2 + (5/2)r + 25/16 = 24/16 + 25/16
(r + 5/4)2 = 49/16
Now take the square root of both sides

(r 5 / 4) 49 / 16
2

r 5 / 4 ( 7 / 4)
r (5 / 4) (7 / 4)
r = - (5/4) + (7/4) = 2/4 =
and r = - (5/4) - (7/4) = -12/4 = - 3
r = { , - 3}

Ex: Solve 3p 5 = (p 1)(p 2)

Is this a quadratic equation? FOIL the RHS
3p 5 = p2 2p p + 2
Collect all terms
3p 5 = p2 3p + 2
p2 6p + 7 = 0
A-ha . . .
Quadratic Equation complete the square
p2 6p = 7
p2 6p + 9 = 7 + 9
(p 3)2 = 2

[(-6)]2 = (-3)2 = 9

(p 3) 2
2

p3 2
p 3 2
p {3 2,3 2}

The Quadratic Formula

Consider a quadratic equation of the form
ax2 + bx + c = 0 for a nonzero
Completing the square

ax bx c
b
c
x x
a
a
b
b
c
b
x x

a
4a
a 4a
2

The Quadratic Formula

b
b
4ac
b
x x

a
4a
4a
4a
b
b 4ac

x
2a
4a

Solutions to ax2 + bx + c = 0 for a nonzero

are
2

b b 4ac
x
2a

Ex: Use the Quadratic Formula to solve1x2 + 7x

7 + 66 = 0
Recall: For quadratic equation ax2 + bx + c = 0,
the solutions to a quadratic equation are given by

b b 2 4ac
x
2a
Identify a, b, and c in ax2 + bx + c = 0:
a=1

b= 7

c= 6

Now evaluate the quadratic formula at the identified

values of a, b, and c

 7 7 2 4(1)(6)
x
2(1)
7 49 24
x
2
7 25
x
2

75
x
2
x = ( - 7 + 5)/2 = - 1 and x = (-7 5)/2 = - 6
x = { - 1, - 6 }

Ex: Use the Quadratic Formula to solve

22m2 + 1m 10 = 0
Recall: For quadratic equation ax2 + bx + c = 0,
the solutions to a quadratic equation are given by
b b 2 4ac
m
2a

Identify a, b, and c in am2 + bm + c = 0:

a=2

b= 1

c = - 10

Now evaluate the quadratic formula at the identified

values of a, b, and c

 1 12 4(2)(10)
m
2(2)
1 1 80
m
4
1 81
m
4

1 9
m
4
m = ( - 1 + 9)/4 = 2 and m = (-1 9)/4 = - 5/2
m = { 2, - 5/2 }

Any questions . . .