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Core 1
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Quadratic expressions
Factorizing quadratics
Contents
x is a variable.
a is the coefficient of x2.
b is the coefficient of x.
c is a constant term.
Quadratic expressions
Factorizing quadratics
Contents
(x + 1)(x + 2) x2 + 3x + 2
Factorizing
When we expand an expression we multiply out the brackets.
When we factorize an expression we write it with brackets.
No constant term
Quadratic expressions of the form ax2 + bx can always be
factorized by taking out the common factor x. For example:
3x2 – 5x = x(3x – 5)
Quadratic expressions
Factorizing quadratics
Contents
x2 + 2x + 1 = (x + 1)2 x2 – 2x + 1 = (x – 1)2
x2 + 4x + 4 = (x + 2)2 x2 – 4x + 4 = (x – 2)2
x2 + 6x + 9 = (x + 3)2 x2 – 6x + 9 = (x – 3)2
In general:
2 2
2 2
Quadratic expressions
Factorizing quadratics
Contents
= 2((x – 1)2 – 1) + 1
= 2(x – 1)2 – 2 + 1
= 2(x – 1)2 – 1
2(x – 1)2 – 1 = 0
2(x – 1)2 = 1
( x 1)2 = 21
x 1= 1
2
x = 1+ 1
2 or x = 1 1
2
ax2 + bx + c = 0
b ± b2 4ac
x=
2a
2x2 + 5x – 1 = 0
b ± b 2 4ac
x=
2a
5 ± 52 (4 × 2 × 1)
x=
2× 2
5 ± 25 + 8
x=
4
5 + 33 5 33
x= or x=
4 4
x = 0.186 x = –2.69 (to 3 s.f.)
27 of 50 © Boardworks Ltd 2005
Using the quadratic formula
9x2 – 12x + 4 = 0
b ± b 2 4ac
x=
2a
( 12) ± ( 12)2 (4 × 9 × 4)
x=
2× 9
12 ± 144 144
x=
18
12 ± 0
x=
18
There is one repeated root: x = 32
28 of 50 © Boardworks Ltd 2005
Equations that reduce to a quadratic form
Quadratic expressions
Factorizing quadratics
Contents
Quadratic expressions
Factorizing quadratics
Contents
x –1 0 1 2 3 4 5
x2 1 0 1 4 9 16 25
– 4x +4 +0 –4 –8 – 12 – 16 – 20
+2 +2 +2 +2 +2 +2 +2 +2
y = x2 – 4x + 2 7 2 –1 –2 –1 2 7
x –1 0 1 2 3 4 5
y = x2 – 4x + 2 7 2 –1 –2 –1 2 7
5
… and the points are then
joined together with a 4
smooth curve. 3
2
The shape of this curve is
called a parabola. 1
It is characteristic of a –1 0 1 2 3 4 5 x
quadratic function. –1
x2 + 4x – 1 = (x + 2)2 – 5
The least value that (x + 2)2 can have is 0 because the square
of a number cannot be negative.
(x + 2)2 ≥ 0
Therefore (x + 2)2 – 5 ≥ – 5
The minimum value of the function y = x2 + 4x – 1 is therefore
y = –5.
Quadratic expressions
Factorizing quadratics
Contents
x–2=± 1
2
x=2± 1
2
x=2 1
2 or x=2+ 1
2
d) When y = 0, x = 2 – 1
2 or x=2+ 1
2
When x = 0, y = 7
So the graph cuts the coordinate axes at (2 + 1
2 , 0),
(2 – 21 , 0) and (0, 7).
The parabola has a minimum at the point (2, –1).
y
7
2– 1
2+ 1 x
–1 2 2