Chapter 2

Quadratic Equations

Quadratic equations are equations that have the form !" ! + $" + % = 0, where ! ≠ 0 and $, % are real
numbers.

A. Solving Quadratic Equations

Method 1: Factorization

IDEA:

!" ! + $" + % = !(" − "" )(" − "! )

"" and "! are the roots/solutions to the quadratic equation.

1st observation:
!(" − "" )(" − "! ) = !(" ! − ("" + "! )" + "" "! )

$ %
! ," ! + " + - = !(" ! − ("" + "! )" + "" "! )
! !

Upon checking coefficients, we have

/
.# + .$ = −
0
1
.# .$ =
0

2nd observation:
To make sure that "" and "! are integers, the discriminant must be a perfect square.
Here, the discriminant is defined as
2 = $ ! − 4!%.
Usually, to find "" and "! , we would do that by trial-and-error.

EXAMPLE

1. Solve " ! − 5" − 6 = 0.

Answer:

2 = (−5)! − 4(1)(−6) = 25 + 24 = 49 = 7! .
(" + 1)(" − 6) = 0
" + 1 = 0 or " − 6 = 0
" = −> or " = ?

2. Solve 2" ! − 5" − 7 = 0.

Answer:

2 = (−5)! − 4(2)(−7) = 25 + 56 = 81 = 9!

(2" − 7)(" + 1) = 0
" = A. B or " = −>

Method 2: Completing the Square

Completing the squares method is another method to solve quadratic equations.

The general procedures for completing the squares are as follows.

Step 1: Start with !" ! + $" + % = 0. Make sure the coefficient of " ! is equal to 1.

$ %
!" ! + $" + % = ! ," ! + " + -
! !

Step 2: Focus on the quadratics. Add (and subtract) square of half of the coefficient of ".

$
!
% !
$ $ ! $ ! %
! ," + " + - = ! C" + " + , - − , - + D
! ! ! 2! 2! !

Step 3: Perform completing the square.

$ $ ! $ ! % $ ! $! %
! C" ! + " + , - − , - + D = ! I," + - − ! + J
EFFFFGFFFFH
! 2! 2! ! 2! 4! !

Step 4: Collect constant terms and simplify.

$ ! $! % $ ! $ ! − 4!%
! I," + - − ! + J = ! ," + - +
2! 4! ! 2! −4!

Geometric Interpretation
Say we have the quadratic expression " ! + $".
The term " ! can interpreted as the area of a square with side ".
The term $" can be interpreted as the area of a rectangle with length $ and breadth ".

" + " " + "

" $ " $
$ 2
2

$
"+
2

The blue square has side , thus its area is .

With the addition of the blue square, we now have a big square which has side .

Thus, we have
$ ! !
$ $ !
," + - = " + 2 ⋅ " ⋅ + , -
2 2 2

EXAMPLE

Solve the following equations using completing the square.

1. " ! − 5" − 5 = 0
2. −2" ! + 7" − 3 = 0

Answer:

1. " ! − 5" − 5 = 0
5 ! 5 !
" ! − 5" + ,− - − ,− - − 5 = 0
2 2
 5 ! 25
," − - − −5=0
2 4
5 ! 25 45
," − - = +5=
2 4 4

5 45
"− = ±N
2 4

5 3√5 5 ± 3√5
"= ± =
2 2 2
B − A√B B + A√B
"= or " =
P P

2. −2" ! + 7" − 3 = 0
7 3
"! − " + = 0
2 2

!
7 7 ! 7 ! 3
" − " + ,− - − ,− - + = 0
2 2 2 2
7 ! 49 3
," − - − + =0
2 4 2
7 ! 49 3 43
," − - = − =
2 4 2 4

7 43 7 ± √43
"= ±N =
2 4 2

7 + √43 7 − √43
"= or " =
2 2

Remark:

The completing the square technique, despite being the most tedious way to solve a quadratic equation,
provides many advantages, which include:
(a) factorising quadratic equations in which the roots are irrational numbers (to be discussed next),
(b) analysing the general shape of quadratic functions, and
(c) locating the turning point of quadratic functions.

Method 3: Quadratic Formula

!" ! + $" + % = 0
$ %
"! + " + = 0
! !
 $ ! $ ! %
," + - −, - + =0
2! 2! !
$ ! $ ! − 4!%
," + - =
2! 4!!
$ √$ ! − 4!%
"=− ±
2! 2!
−/ ± √Q
"=
P0

EXAMPLE

Solve −3" ! + 32" + 10 = 0.

Answer:

2 = 32! − 4(−3)(10) = 1024 + 120 = 1144

Using the quadratic formula, we have
−32 ± √1144 −32 ± √4 × 286
"= =
2(−3) −6
−32 ± 2√286 >? >
"= = ∓ √PT?
−6 A A

EXERCISE

Basic Level

1. Solve the following quadratic equations using factorization method.

(a) " ! − 10" + 24 = 0 (b) " ! − 7" = 144

2. Solve the following quadratic equations using quadratic formula.

(a) 4" ! + 7" − 4 = 0 (b) −3" ! − 3" + 10 = 0

3. Find the value of U that satisfies the equation (2" + 3V)(W" + XV) = U" ! + 23"V + 12V ! .

Intermediate Level

4. Rewrite the following quadratic expressions into completed square form.

 (a) " ! + 2" + 26 (b) 2" ! − 12" − 21
(c) −" ! − 5" + 6.5 (d) −3" ! + 5" − 7

5. Solve the following quadratic equations using completing the square method.
(a) " ! + 2" + 26 (b) 2" ! − 12" − 21
(c) −" ! − 5" + 6.5 (d) −3" ! + 5" − 7

Advanced Level

6. Given that the roots of the equation !" ! + $" + % = 0 are "" and "! , where ! and % are nonzero
real numbers, prove that the roots of the equation %" ! + $" + ! = 0 are 1/"" and 1/"! .

7. Given that one of the roots of the equation " ! + $" + % = 0 is 3 + √2, find the value of $ + %.

8. For any real number ", it is given that " ! − 2" + 3 ≤ [(") ≤ 2" ! − 4" + 4.
If [(") is a quadratic function such that [(5) = 26, find the value of [(7).

B. Solving Variations of Quadratic Equations

Not all quadratic equations look like !" ! + $" + % = 0. In this section, we will work a series of examples
to show you other forms of quadratic equations and how to solve them.

EXAMPLE

1. Find all solutions to the equation

V + 3 3V − 3
1+ = .
V−2 6−V

Answer:

2V + 1 3V − 3
=
V−2 6−V
(2V + 1)(6 − V) = (V − 2)(3V − 3)
12V − 2V ! + 6 − V = 3V ! − 3V − 6V + 6
5V ! − 20V = 0
 5V(V − 4) = 0

V = 0\V = 4

We must make sure that neither of these solutions causes any denominator to be zero. If one of these does
cause the denominator to be zero, that solutions must be discarded as an extraneous root, which is a
solution that satisfy the original equation. This is not the case for either of our solutions, so 4 and 0 are
our answers.

2. Solve each of the following cubic equations.

(a) " % − 3" ! + 2" = 0
(b) 2" % + 5" ! − 3" = 0

Answer:

Although these are cubic equations, we can observe that the equations do not contain any constants, hence
we can directly factorize " from each of the equations.

(a) " % − 3" ! + 2" = 0 (b) 2" % + 5" ! − 3" = 0

"(" ! − 3" + 2) = 0 "(2" ! + 5" − 3) = 0
"(" − 1)(" − 2) = 0 "(2" − 1)(" + 3) = 0
1
" = 0\" = 1\" = 2 " = 0\" = \ " = −3
2

3. Find all solutions to the equation

√" + 3 + 4 = √8" + 1.

Answer:

! !
]√" + 3 + 4^ = ]√8" + 1^
(" + 3) + 8√" + 3 + 16 = 8" + 1
8√" + 3 = 7" − 18
!
]8√" + 3^ = (7" − 18)!
64(" + 3) = 49" ! − 252" + 324
49" ! − 316" + 132 = 0
(49" − 22)(" − 6) = 0
22
"= \" = 6
49
Similar to Example 1, we must check for extraneous solutions.
When " = 6,
√6 + 3 + 4 = √8 ⋅ 6 + 1 = 7.
So " = 6 is a valid solution.
When " = 22/49,

22 13 41
_`a = N + 3 + 4 = +4=
49 7 7

22 225 15
b`a = N8 ⋅ +1=N = .
49 49 7

Since _`a ≠ b`a, " = 22/49 is not a valid solution. (Why?)

So, the only solution to the equation is 6.

4. Find all real solutions to the equation " & − 15" ! − 16 = 0.

Answer:

Let, V = " ! .
Then, the equation becomes
V ! − 15V − 16 = 0
(V − 16)(V + 1) = 0

V = 16 \ V = −1

When V = " ! = 16, we get " = 4 and " = −4.

When V = " ! = −1, we do not have real solutions.

So, the real solutions to the equation are 4 and –4.

EXERCISE

Basic Level

1. Find all real solutions to the equation

" & − 5" ! + 4 = 0.

2. Find all real solutions to the equation

9' − 3'(" − 4 = 0.
3. Find all real solutions to the equation
1 2 8
+ = .
"−3 "−2 "

Intermediate Level

4. Given that " is a non-zero real number that satisfies the equation
2!' − 3 ⋅ 2'(" + 5 = 0,
find the value of 4'(" .

5. Find all real solutions to the equation

2 ⋅ 3!'(" = 3 − 7 ⋅ 3' .

6. Find all real solutions to the equation

1 1 2
+ = .
(" − 1)(" − 2) (" − 2)(" − 3) 3

7. Find all real solutions to the equation

3"
N = 2.
1 − √"

8. Find all real solutions to the equation

√" + √2" + 1 = √1 + 6".

9. Find the sum of all real solutions to the equation

! 12
√" = ! .
7 − √"

Advanced Level

9. Find the value of 2" + 5 if " is a real number satisfying the equation
√40 − 9" − 2√7 − " = √−".
10. Find all real solutions to the equation
3" !
"! + , - = 16.
"−3

11 Find all real solutions to the equation

1 1 1
+ = .
"! + " + 1 "! − " + 1 "

12. Find all real solutions to the equation

5" & + 7" % − 14" ! + 7" + 5 = 0.

13. Find all real solutions to the equation

' " )% ' " )%
]5 + 2√6^ + ]5 − 2√6^ = 10.

C. Sum and Product of Roots of Quadratic Equations

If "" and "! are roots of the quadratic equation !" ! + $" + % = 0, then
$ %
"" + "! = − , "" "! = .
! !

PROOF
From the quadratic formula,
−$ ± √$ ! − 4!%
"=
2!
−$ + √$ ! − 4!% −$ − √$ ! − 4!%
"" = , "! =
2! 2!

−$ + √$ ! − 4!% −$ − √$ ! − 4!% −2$ $

"" + "! = + = =−
2! 2! 2! !
!
−$ + √$ ! − 4!% −$ − √$ ! − 4!% (−$)! − ]√$ ! − 4!%^
"" "! = ⋅ =
2! 2! 4!!
$ ! − ($ ! − 4!%) 4!% %
"" "! = = != ∎
4!! 4! !
EXAMPLE

1. Given that the roots of the quadratic equation 2" ! + 4" + 3 = 0 are e and f, find the value of:
(a) e + f, (b) ef,
(c) e ! + f! , (d) e % + f% .

Answer:

&
(a) e + f = − ! = −P

* (d) e % + f % = (e + f)% − 3ef(e + f)

(b) ef = $
3
= (−2)% − 3 ⋅ ⋅ (−2)
(c) e ! + f ! = (e + f)! − 2ef 2
= −8 + 9 = >
3
= (−2)! −2⋅
2
=4−3=>

2. Given that the roots of the quadratic equation 2" ! + 4" + 5 = 0 are e and f, find the value of
e + + f+ .

Answer:

METHOD 1

4 5
e + f = − = −2, ef =
2 2
e + + f + = (e ! + f ! )(e % + f % )
e ! + f ! = (e + f)! − 2ef
− (e ! f % + e % f ! )
5
= (−2)! − 2 ⋅ = (−1)(7) − e ! f ! (e + f)
2
= 4 − 5 = −1 5 !
= −7 − , - (−2)
2
e % + f % = (e + f)% − 3ef(e + f) 25 >>
= −7 + =
5 2 P
= (−2)% − 3 ⋅ ⋅ (−2)
2
= −8 + 15 = 7

METHOD 2

−4e − 5 −4e − 5
2e ! + 4e + 5 = 0 → e ! = 2e % + 4 , - + 5e = 0
2 2
e(2e ! + 4e + 5) = 0 3e + 10
2e % − 3e − 10 = 0 → e % =
2e % + 4e ! + 5e = 0 2
2e + − 3e % − 10e ! = 0 31 31
e + + f + = ,− e − 5- + ,− f − 5-
3e + 10 −4e − 5 4 4
2e + − 3 , - − 10 , -=0 31
2 2 =− (e + f) − 10
9 4
2e + − , e + 15- + (20e + 25) = 0 31
2 = − (−2) − 10
31 31 4
2e + + e + 10 = 0 → e + = − e − 5 31 >>
2 4 = − 10 =
2 P

EXERCISE

Basic Level

1. Given that the roots of the equation 3V(V − 2) = V ! + 20 are e and f,

(a) find the value of e ! + f ! ,
(b) find the value of e )! × f )! ,
(c) find the roots of equation (e + f)" ! − (e ! + f ! )" + (e + f)% = 0.

2. Given that the roots of the equation " ! − 12" + 21 = 0 are e and f, find the value of e + f + ef.

Intermediate Level

3. Given that the roots of the equation " ! − 3" + 4 = 0 are e and f, find the value of:
(a) e ! + f! ,
(b) ef )" + fe )" ,
(c) e(ef − 1) + f(ef − 1).

4. It is given that the roots of the equation !" ! − 4" + 6 = 0 are "" and "! . If
"" ("! − 1) "! ("" − 1)
+ = 6,
"! ""

(a) find the value of 3!,

(b) find the roots of the equation 6" ! − 4" + ! = 0.
5. Given that the roots of the equation " ! + 4" + 5 = 0 are e and f, find the value of
(a) (e + 1)(f + 1),
(b) (e + h)(f + h) for any real numbers h,
(c) (e )" − h)(f )" − h) for any real numbers h.

6. Suppose ! is a number such that !& + !% + !! + ! + 1 = 0. Find the value of

!!,!, + 2!!,", + 3!!,,, .

Advanced Level

7. It is given that the roots of the equation 2" ! − (i + 1)" − 3 = 0 are e and f.
(a) If e = 3,
(i) find the value of i,
(ii) find the value of f,
(iii) find the roots of the equation (2f + 3)V ! − (ei − 1)V = i! − 3.
(b) Given that 2e = f + 4 and f > −2, find the value of (2e + 1)(2f + 1).

8. It is given that the roots of the equation (! + 1)" ! − 5(! − 1)" + 3(! + 1) = 0 are "" and "! ,
where ! is an integer. If "" + 2"! = 5, find the value of !.

9. It is given that the roots of the equation " ! + 2" − 5! = 0 are e and f, with e < f.
If 2e ! − f ! = 57 + 6√56, find the value of !.

10. Given that the roots of the equation " ! − 2W(" + 1) = % are e and f, where % and W are integers,
find the value of following expression.

2e ! + 4e + 2 2f ! + 4f + 2
+ ! .
e ! + 2e + % f + 2f + %