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Quadratic Formula

The document derives the quadratic formula through the following steps: 1) It starts with the general quadratic equation ax2 + bx + c = 0 and simplifies it step-by-step by factoring and completing the square. 2) This results in the formula x = (-b ± √(b2 - 4ac)) / 2a, known as the quadratic formula. 3) It then shows the same process can be used to derive the "P-Q formula" to solve equations of the form x2 + px + q = 0, resulting in the formula x = (-p ± √(p2 - 4q)) / 2.

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fynzen
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38 views2 pages

Quadratic Formula

The document derives the quadratic formula through the following steps: 1) It starts with the general quadratic equation ax2 + bx + c = 0 and simplifies it step-by-step by factoring and completing the square. 2) This results in the formula x = (-b ± √(b2 - 4ac)) / 2a, known as the quadratic formula. 3) It then shows the same process can be used to derive the "P-Q formula" to solve equations of the form x2 + px + q = 0, resulting in the formula x = (-p ± √(p2 - 4q)) / 2.

Uploaded by

fynzen
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Derivation of quadratic formula

Let f : x 7→ ax2 +bx+c be a quadratic formula where x, b, c ∈ R and a ∈ R/{0}. In the following,
a generalized formula to determine the roots of any quadratic will be proofen.

ax2 + bx + c = 0 (1)
b c
x2 + x + = 0 (2)
a a
b c
x2 + x = − (3)
a a
( )2 ( )2
b b c b
x2 + x + =− + (4)
a 2a a 2a
( )2 ( )2
b c b
x+ =− + (5)
2a a 2a
( )2
b c b2 b2 − 4ac
x+ =− + 2 = (6)
2a a 4a 4a2
√ √
b b2 − 4ac b2 − 4ac
x+ =± = ± (7)
2a 4a2 2a
√ √
b − 4ac
2 b −b ± b2 − 4ac
x=± − = (8)
2a 2a 2a

After substituting the term ax2 + bx + c and solving for 0 one achieves the quadratic formula

√
−b ± b2 − 4ac
x1,2 =
2a
2
The most important step during the derivation is to add (b/2a) to both sides like it is shown
in step (4). Thus, one achieves the basic structure for the binomial formula a2 + 2ab + b2 on the
2
right-hand side of the equation which afterwards can be written in the form of (a + b) . It makes it
a lot easier to solve for 0.
If one is given a quadratic function like f : x 7→ x2 + px + q where x, p, q ∈ R one can also find a
general formula to solve for the functions roots.

x2 + px + q = 0 (9)
x + px = −q
2
(10)
( p )2 ( p )2
x2 + px + = −q + (11)
2 2
( p )2 ( p )2
x+ = −q + (12)
2 √ 2 ( )
p p 2
x + = ± −q + (13)
2 2
√ ( p )2 p √( )
p p 2
x1,2 = ± −q + − =− ± −q (14)
2 2 2 2

1
Derivation of quadratic formula

Thus one can achive the so called P -Q-Formula

√( )
p p 2
x1,2 =− ± −q
2 2

It can also be used to solve for a quadratics roots. If the function still contains a coefficient bound
to the x2 , one needs to divide the function by that coefficient in order to then use the previously
derived formula.

Q.E.D.

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