04a. Quadratics - The Quadratic Formula and The Discriminant
04a. Quadratics - The Quadratic Formula and The Discriminant
04a. Quadratics - The Quadratic Formula and The Discriminant
ALGEBRA
1 By completing the square, show that the roots of the equation ax2 + bx + c = 0 are given by
−b ± b 2 − 4ac
x= .
2a
2 Use the quadratic formula to solve each equation, giving your answers as simply as possible in
terms of surds where appropriate.
a x2 + 4x + 1 = 0 b 4 + 8t − t 2 = 0 c y2 − 20y + 91 = 0 d r2 + 2r − 7 = 0
e 6 + 18a + a2 = 0 f m(m − 5) = 5 g x2 + 11x + 27 = 0 h 2u2 + 6u + 3 = 0
i 5 − y − y2 = 0 j 2x2 − 3x = 2 k 3p2 + 7p + 1 = 0 l t 2 − 14t = 14
m 0.1r2 + 1.4r = 0.9 n 6u2 + 4u = 1 o 1
2
y2 − 3y = 2
3
p 4x(x − 3) = 11 − 4x
3 y
y = 2x2 − 8x + 3
O x
4 State the condition for which the roots of the equation ax2 + bx + c = 0 are
a real and distinct b real and equal c not real
5 Sketch the curve y = ax2 + bx + c and the x-axis in the cases where
a a > 0 and b2 − 4ac > 0 b a < 0 and b2 − 4ac < 0
c a > 0 and b2 − 4ac = 0 d a < 0 and b2 − 4ac > 0
6 By evaluating the discriminant, determine whether the roots of each equation are real and
distinct, real and equal or not real.
a x2 + 2x − 7 = 0 b x2 + x + 3 = 0 c x2 − 4x + 5 = 0 d x2 − 6x + 3 = 0
e x2 + 14x + 49 = 0 f x2 − 9x + 17 = 0 g x2 + 3x = 11 h 2 + 3x + 2x2 = 0
i 5x2 + 8x + 3 = 0 j 3x2 − 7x + 5 = 0 k 9x2 − 12x + 4 = 0 l 13x2 + 19x + 7 = 0
m 4 − 11x + 8x2 = 0 n x2 + 2
3
x= 1
4
o x2 − 3
4
x+ 1
8
=0 p 2
5
x2 + 3
5
x+ 1
3
=0
7 Find the value of the constant p such that the equation x2 + x + p = 0 has equal roots.
8 Given that q ≠ 0, find the value of the constant q such that the equation x2 + 2qx − q = 0
has a repeated root.
9 Given that the x-axis is a tangent to the curve with the equation
y = x2 + rx − 2x + 4,
find the two possible values of the constant r.
Solomon Press