Quadratic equation word problems

worksheet - Answers
Problem 1 :
Difference between a number and its positive square root is 12. Find the
number. 
Solution :
Let "x" be the required number.
Its positive square root is √x 
Given : Difference between x and √x  =  12
x - √x  =  12
x - 12  =  √x
(x-12)²  =  x
x² -24x + 144  =  x
x² -25x + 144  =  0
(x - 9)(x-16)  =  0
x  =  9  or  x  =  16
x  =  9 does not satisfy the condition given in the question.
Hence the required number is 16.

Problem 2 :
A piece of iron rod costs $60. If the rod was 2 meter shorter and each
meter costs $1 more, the cost would remain unchanged. What is the length
of the rod? 
Solution :
Let "x" be the length of the given rod. 

Then the length of the rod 2 meter shorter is (x-2) and the total cost of
both the rods is $60 (because cost would remain unchanged) 

Cost of one meter of the given rod = 60/x 

Cost of one meter of the rod which is 2 meter shorter = 60/(x-2) 
From the question, 60/(x-2)  =  (60/x) + 1 

60/(x-2)  =  (60+x)/x
 60x  =  (x-2)(60+x) 
60x  =  x² + 58x - 120 
 x² -2x -120  =  0 
(x+10)(x-12)  =  0 
x  =  -10  or  x  =  12
x  =  -10 can not be accepted. Because length can not be negative. 
Hence, the length of the given rod is 12 m.

Problem 3 :
Divide 25 in two parts so that sum of their reciprocals is 1/6 
Solution :
Let "x" be one of the parts of 25. Then the other part is (25 - x). 

Sum of the reciprocals of the parts  =  1/6 

1/x + 1/(25 - x)  =  1/6
(25-x+x) / x(25 - x)  =  1/6 
25 / (25x - x²)  =  1/6 
6(25)  =  25x - x² 
150  =  25x - x² 
x² - 25x + 150 = 0 
(x - 15)(x - 10) = 0 
x  =  15  or  x  =  10 
Hence, the two parts of the 25 are 10 and 15.

Problem 4 :
The hypotenuse of a right angled triangle is 20 cm. The difference between
its other two sides is 4 cm. Find the length of the sides.  
Solution :
Let "x" and "x+4" be the lengths of other two sides. 

Using Pythagorean theorem, (x+4)² + x²  =  202 

x² + 8x + 16 + x² - 400  =  0 
2x² + 8x - 384  =  0 
x² + 4x - 192  =  0 
(x+16)(x-12)  =  0 
x  =  -16 or x  =  12 
x = -16 can not be accepted. Because length can not be negative. 
If x  =  12,  
x + 4  =  12 + 4  =  16 
Hence, the other two sides of the triangle are 12 cm and 16 cm.
Problem 5 :
The sides of an equilateral triangle are shortened by 12 units, 13 units and
14 units respectively and a right angle triangle is formed. The side of the
equilateral triangle is  
Solution :
Let "x" be the length of each side of the equilateral triangle. 

Then, the sides of the right angle triangle are (x-12), (x-13) and             (x-
14) 

In the above three sides, the side represented by (x -12) is hypotenuse

(because that is the longest side). 

Using Pythagorean theorem, (x-12)²  =  (x-13)² + (x-14)2 

x² - 24x + 144  =  x² - 26x + 169 + x² - 28x + 196 

x² - 30x + 221  =  0 
(x - 13)(x - 17)  =  0 
x  =  13  or  x  =  17. 
x  =  13 can not be accepted. Because, if x  =  13, one of the sides of the
right angle triangle would be negative. 

Hence, the side of the equilateral triangle is 17 units.

Problem 6 :
The area of a rectangular field is 2000 sq.m and its perimeter is 180 m. Find
the length and width of the field.  
Solution :
Let "x" and "y" be the length and width of the rectangle respectively. 

Perimeter = 180 m (given) 

2x + 2y  =  180 ---> x + y  =  90 
So, y  =  90 - x 
Area  =  2000 sq.m 
xy  =  2000 
x(90-x)  =  2000 
90x - x²  =  2000 
x²  - 90x + 2000  =  0 
 (x-50)(x-40)  =  0 
x  =  50  or  x  =  40 
If x  =  50, y  =  90 - 50  =  40 
If x  =  40, y  =  90 - 40  =  50 

Hence, the length and breadth of the rectangle are 40 m and 50 m

respectively.

Problem 7 :
A distributor of apple juice has 5000 bottles in the store that it wishes to
distribute in a month. From experience, it is known that demand D is given by
D = -2000p² + 2000p + 17000. Find the price per bottle that will result zero
inventory. 
Solution :
Stock in the store is 5000 bottles. If the inventory be zero, the demand has
to be 5000 bottles. 

To know the price for zero inventory, we have to plug D = 5000 in the
quadratic equation D = -2000p2 + 2000p + 17000 
5000  =  -2000p² + 2000p + 17000 
2000p² - 2000p - 12000  =  0 
p²  - p - 6  =  0 
(p + 3)(p - 2)  =  0
p  =  -3 or p  =  2 

p = -3 can not be accepted. Because, price can not be negative. 

Hence, price per bottle that will result zero inventory is $2.

Problem 8 :
Two squares have sides p cm and (p+5) cm. The sum of their squares is 625
sq.cm. Find the sides of the squares.  
Solution :
According to the question, we have

p² + (p+5)²  =  625
p² + p² + 10p + 25  =  625
2p² + 10p - 600  =  0
 p² + 5p - 300  =  0
(p -15)(p + 20)  =  0
p  =  15  or  p  =  -20
p = -20 can not be accepted. Because, the side of the square can not be
negative. 
If p  =  15,  p + 5  =  15 + 5  =  20
Hence, the sides of the square are 15 cm and 20 cm.

Problem 9 :
A ball is thrown upwards from a rooftop which is above from the ground. It
will reach a maximum vertical height and then fall back to the ground. The
height of the ball "h" from the ground at time "t" seconds is given by,  h =
-16t² + 64t + 80.How long will the ball take to hit the ground?
Solution :
When the ball hits the ground, height "h"  =  0.
So, we have  
0  =  -16t² + 64t + 80
16t² - 64t - 80  =  0
t² - 4t - 5  =  0
(t - 5)(t+1)  =  0
t  =  5  or  t  =  -1
t  =  -1 can not be accepted. Because time can never be a negative value. 
Hence, the ball will take 5 seconds to hit the ground.
"
Problem 10 :
A picture has a height that is 4/3 its width. It is to be enlarged to have an
area of 192 square inches. What will be the dimensions of the enlargement?
Solution :
After enlargement, let "x" be the width of picture.
Then, the height of the picture  =  4x / 3
(From the given information, it is very clear that the picture is in the shape
of rectangle. So, the given height can be considered as length of the
rectangle) 
Given : Area after enlargement  =  192 square inches.
So, we have  
Length X width  =  192 sq. inches
(4x/3)(x)  =  192
4x²/3  =  192
 x²  =  192(3/4)
x²  =  144
x  =  12
Therefore the width  =  12 inches.
The height  =  4(12) / 3  =  16 inches
Hence, the dimensions of the picture are 12 inches and 16 inches. 

Solutions

1 D etermine the quadratic equation w hos e s olutions are: 3

and −2.

2 F actor:
 3 D etermine the value of k so that the tw o roots of the
equation x 2   − kx + 36 = 0 are equal.

4 The s um of tw o numbers is 5 and their product is − 84.

F ind thes e numbers .

5 Within 11 years , the age of P eter w ill be half the s quare

of the age he w as 13 years ago. Calculate the current age of
P eter.

6 To fence a rectangular farm of 750 m², 110 m of fence

has been us ed. Calculate the dimens ions of the farm.

7 The three s ides of a right- angled triangle are proportional

to the numbers 3, 4 and 5. F ind the length of each s ide know ing
that the area of the triangle is 24 m².

8A rectangul ar garden 50 m long and 34 m w ide is

s urrounded by a uniform dirt road. F ind the w idth of the road if
the total area of the garden and road is 540 m².

9 Calculate the dimens ions of a rectangle w hos e diagonal

is 75 m, know ing that is s imilar to a rectangl e w ith s ides
meas uring 36 m 48 m res pectively.

10 F ind an integer number w here the s um w ith its invers e

is   .
 11 Tw o natural numbers differ by tw o units and the s um of
their s quares is 580. What are thes e numbers ?

12 Tw o taps A and B fill a sw imming pool together in tw o

hours . A lone, it takes tap A three hours les s than B to fill the
s ame pool. H ow many hours does it take each tap to fill the
pool s eparately?

13 The length of the s ides of a right-angled triangle are

meas ured as three cons ecutive even numbers (in cm). F ind the
values of thes e s ides .

14 A rectangular piece of cardboard is 4 cm longer than

w ide. A box of 840 cm³ is cons tructed by us ing this piece of
cardboard. A square of 6 cm is cut out in every corner and the
rims are folded upw ards to create the box. F ind the dimens ions
of the box.

15 2 faucets can fill a tank in 1 hour and 20 minutes . The

firs t faucet takes more than tw o hours longer to fill the same
tank w hen functioning w ithout the s econd tap. H ow long does it
take to fill each one s eparately ?

D etermine the quadratic equation w hos e s olutions are: 3

and −2.

S = 3 − 2 = 1
 P = 3 · 2 = 6

x 2  − x + 6 = 0

F actor:

D etermine the value of k s o that the tw o roots of the

equation x 2   − kx + 36 = 0 are equal.

b 2   − 4ac = 0

k 2  − 4 · 36 = 0              k 2  = 144

4

The s um of tw o numbers is 5 and their product is − 84.

F ind thes e numbers .

x 2  − Sx + P = 0

Within 11 years , the age of P eter w ill be half the s quare of

the age he w as 13 years ago. Calculate the current age of P eter.

Current age    x

A ge 13 years ago    x − 13
 A ge w ithin 11 years    x + 11

Current age    21

To fence a rectangular farm of 750 m², 110 m of fence has

been us ed. Calculate the dimens ions of the farm.

S emiperim eter  55

Bas e    x

H eight     55 − x
 x · (55 − x) = 750

x 2  − 55x + 750 = 0

x = 25          x = 30

The dimens ions of the farm are   30 m an d 25 m .

The three s ides of a right- angled triangle are proportional

to the numbers 3, 4 and 5. F ind the length of each s ide know ing
that the area of the triangle is 24 m².

1s t s ide (bas e)  3x

2nd   s ide   (height)    4x

3rd s ide    5x

 1s t s ide  6 m

2nd   s ide  8 m

3rd s ide   10 m

A rectangular garden 50 m long and 34 m w ide is

s urrounded by a uniform dirt road. F ind the w idth of the road if
the total area of the garden and road is 540 m².

(50 + 2x) · (34 + 2x) − 50 · 34 = 540

4x 2   + 168x − 540 = 0         x 2   + 42x − 135 = 0

x = 3 and x = − 45
 The road w idth is  3 m  .

Calcula te the dimens ions of a rectangle w hos e diagonal is

75 m, know ing that it is s imilar to a rectangle w ith s ides
meas uring 36 m 48 m res pectively.

Bas e    48x : 12 = 4x

H eight     36x : 12 = 3x

(4x) 2   + (3x) 2  = 75 2

25x 2  = 5625

x 2 = 225         x = 15

Bas e    4 · 15 =  60 m

H eight     3 · 15 =  45 m
10

F ind an integer number w here the s um w ith its invers e

is   .

11

Tw o natural numbers differ by tw o units and the s um of

their s quares is 580. What are thes e numbers ?

1s t number   x

2nd number    x + 2
 1s t number    16

2nd number    18

12

Tw o taps A and B fill a sw imming pool together in tw o

hours . A lone, it takes tap A three hours les s than B to fill the
s ame pool. H ow many hours does it take each tap to fill the
pool s eparately?

Time of A    x

Time of B    x + 3

A 

B 

A and B  
 Time of A     3 h ou rs

Time of B    6 h ou rs

13

The length of the s ides of a right-angled triangle are

meas ured as three cons ecutive even numbers (in cm). F ind the
values of thes e s ides .
 1s t leg    2x

2nd leg    2x + 2

H ypotenus e     2x + 4

(2x) 2   + (2x + 2) 2   = (2x + 4) 2

4x 2   + 4x 2   + 8x + 4 = 4x 2  + 16x + 16

4x 2   − 8x − 12 = 0            x 2  − 2x − 3 = 0

x = 3 y x= −1

1s t leg   6 cm

2nd   leg    8 cm

H ypotenus e   10 cm

14

A rectangular piece of cardboard is 4 cm longer than w ide.

A box of 840 cm³ is cons tructed by us ing this piece of
cardboard. A square of 6 cm is cut out in every corner and the
rims are folded upw ards to create the box. F ind the dimens ions
of the box.
 6 (x − 12) · (x + 4 −12) = 840          (x − 12) · (x − 8) = 140

x 2  − 20x − 44 = 0      x = 22 y x= −2

The dimens ions are:  26 cm an d 22 cm.

15

2 faucets can fill a tank in 1 hour and 20 minutes . The firs t

faucet takes more than tw o hours longer to fill the s ame tank
w hen functioning w ithout the s econd tap. H ow long does it take
to fill each one s eparately?

1s t Time    x

2nd Time    x − 2

1º 

2º

Betw een the tw o  

 1s t Time   4 hours

2nd Time    2  hours

  is not a s olution becaus e the time for the

s econd   faucet  w ould be negative.