ADVANCED EXERCISE CH.

02: QUADRATIC EQUATIONS II

[Finish the following questions if you aim at DSE Math Level 4]
Q1 [CE Math 88 4]
The quadratic equation
9 x − ( k + 1) x + 1 = 0 ………………………(*)
2

has equal roots.

(a) Find the two possible values of the constant k.
(b) If k takes the negative value obtained, solve equation (*).

Q2 [CE Math 82A 1]

2+i
Simplify . Express your answer in the form a + bi where a and b are real numbers.
1− 3i

Q3 [CE Math 80 3] (Modified)

2
(a) Find the product of the roots of the quadratic equation 2x + kx − 5 = 0 .
(b) If one of the roots is 5, find the other root and the value of k.
Q4 [Misc]
Given the equation x − ( k − 4) x + 2k − 12 = 0 , find the possible value(s) of k if
2

(a) the two roots of the equation are numerically equal but opposite in sign.
(b) the difference between the two roots is 4.

Q5 [Misc]
2
If one root of the equation ax + bx + c = 0 is k times the other root, show that kb = (1 + k ) ac .
2 2

[Finish the following questions if you aim at DSE Math Level 5]

Q6 [CE Math 93 6]
2
The length α and the breath β of a rectangular photograph are the roots of the equation 2 x − mx + 500 = 0 . The photograph is
mounted on a piece of rectangular cardboard, leaving a uniform border of width 2 as shown in Figure 4.

(a) Find the area of the photograph.

(b) Find, in terms of m,
(i) the perimeter of the photograph,
(ii) the area of the border.
Q7 [CE Math 87A 5]
α and β are the roots of the quadratic equation
2
kx − 4x + 2k = 0 ,
where k ( k ≠ 0 ) is a constant. Express the following in terms of k:
2 2
(a) α +β ,
α β
(b) + .
β α

Q8 [CE Math 86A 7]

1 1 1
If + = and m + n = b , express the following in terms of a and b:
m n a
(a) mn,
2 2
(b) m +n .

Q9 [CE Math 85A 5]

2
Let α and β be the roots of x + kx +1 = 0 , where k is a constant.
(a) Find, in terms of k,
(i) (α + 2) + (β + 2) ,
(ii) (α + 2)(β + 2) .
2
(b) Suppose α + 2 and β + 2 are the roots of x + px + q = 0 , where p and q are constants. Find p and q in terms of k.(6 marks)
Q10 [Misc]
2
The curve y = −2x + 4x + 3 cuts the x-axis at P and Q. Find the length of PQ.

Q11 [CE Math 81 2]

Find a quadratic equation whose roots are
2 + 3i and 2 − 3i where i = −1 .
2
Express your answer in the form x + bx + c = 0 where b and c are real numbers.

Q12 [Misc]
3− 5
Find a quadratic equation in x with integral coefficients such that one of its roots is .
2
Q13 [CE AMath 81I 4] (Modified)
2
Show that the roots of the quadratic equation x − 2x cos θ +1 = 0 are cos θ ± i sin θ where i = −1 .

Q14 [Misc]
2
If the quadratic equation (mx) + 2mx + x + 2ax + a + 1 = 0 has equal roots,
2 2

(a) show that ma = 1 .

(b) find the double root in terms of m.
[Finish the following questions if you aim at DSE Math Level 5*]
Q15 [Misc]
Prove that the quadratic equation 2 ( a + b )x + 6 ( a − b) x + 9 = 0 has no real roots for x if a + b ≠ 0 .
2 2 2

Q16 [Misc]
Given the equation ( p − 1) x − 2 pqx + q = 0 where p and q are real numbers with p ≠ 1 . Show that the equation always has real
2 2 2 2

roots and state the condition for the roots to be equal.

Q17 [Misc]
 y = 4 x
2

Show that the simultaneous equations  have only one set of real solution for any real value of k.
 x − 2ky + 4k 2 = 0

Page 3
Q18 [Misc]
2 3 3 3
α and β are the roots of the equation x + px + q = 0 such that α + β = 1 . Without solving the equation, show that p +1 = 3 pq .

Q19 [Misc]
Prove that the quadratic equation ( x − k )[ x − ( k + 1)] = 1 has two distinct real roots for any real values of k.

Q20 [CE AMath 90I 4]

α and β are the roots of the quadratic equation x − ( k + 2) x + k = 0 .
2

(a) Find α + β and αβ in terms of k.

(b) If (α +1)(β + 2) = 4 , show that α = −2k . Hence, find the two values of k.
Q21 [Misc]
2 1 1 2
α and β are the real roots of the equation 2x + 4x + m = 0 and 2
and 2
are the roots of the equation 9x − nx + 4 = 0 . Find
α β
the values of m and n.

Q22 [Misc]
1 1 13
Find all quadratic equation in x whose roots α and β satisfy α 2 + β 2 = 13 and + = .
2 2
α β 36
Q23 [Misc]
 a  x 2 + a (1 + b ) x + b (b − 1) + a = 0 also has
2 2

If the equation x + ax + b = 0 has equal roots, show that the equation 1 − b +
2

 2  2
equal roots.

Q24 [Misc]
2 2
Given that 3, α are the two roots of the equation ax + bx + c = 0 and 3, β are the two roots of the equation bx + cx + 27a = 0 ,
where a, b ≠ 0 .
(a) Show that 9 + 3β + αβ = 0 .
1
(b) If α = k β and α , β are real, prove that k ≤ .
4
[Finish the following questions if you aim at DSE Math Level 5**]

Q25 [CE AMath 92I 2] (Modified)

2 2
α and β are the roots of the quadratic equation x + ( k − 2) x − ( k − 1) = 0 . If α = β , find k.
2

Q26 [CE AMath 84I 5] (Modified)

Let α and β are the roots of the equation x 2 − 2 x − ( m 2 − m + 1) = 0 , where m is a real number.
2
(a) Show that (α − β ) >0 for any value of m.
2
(b) Find the minimum value of (α − β ) .

Page 4
Q27 [Misc]
Given the equation (a − x)(b − x) = c , where a, b and c are real numbers.
2

2
Show that the discriminant of the equation is ( a − b) + 4c . Hence determine the nature of the roots of the equation.
2
(a)
(b) Hence write down the conditions for the equation to have equal roots.

Q28 [Misc]
2
It is given that the quadratic equation ax + 8x + c = 0 has a repeated real root, where a and c are positive integers.
(a) Find all the possible values of a + c .
Ken claims that the quadratic equation 2 x + ( a + c ) x + 10 = 0 must have real roots. Is he correct? Explain your answer.
2
(b)
Q29 [Misc]
2
Let α and β be the roots of the equation x + px + q = 0 .
Express (α − β )(β − α ) in terms of p and q.
3 3
(a)

(b) If one root of the equation is the cube of the other, using the results of (a), show that p
2
(p 2
− 4q) = q ( q −1) .
2

Q30 [Misc]
21
α and β are the two real numbers such that α + β = and αβ = 27 .
2
(a) Form an equation in x with α and β as roots. Hence find the values of α and β .
 21
 x + y =
(b) Using the result of (a), solve the simultaneous equation  2 .
 6
 xy = 3
Q31 [Misc]
2 2
Given that α and β are the roots of the equation x + bx + 1 = 0 , γ and δ are the roots of the equation x + cx + 1 = 0 .
Show that (α − γ )(β − γ ) = 1 + bγ + γ .
2
(a)

Show that (α + δ )(β + δ ) = 1 − bδ + δ .

2
(b)
(c) Hence find the value of (α − γ )(α + δ )(β − γ )(β + δ ) in terms of b and c.
2
(d) If γ is also a root of the equation x + bx +1 = 0 , find a relation between b and c.
Q32 [Misc]
2
(a) If α and β are the roots of the equation ax + bx + c = 0 where a ≠ 0 , find
2 2
(i) the equation in x whose roots are α and β ;
3 3
(ii) the equation in x whose roots are α and β .
6 6
(b) Using the result of (a), find a quadratic equation in x whose roots are p and q , where p and q are the roots of the equation
2
2 x − 3x + 1 = 0 .

Q33 [Misc]
2 2
Let α and β be the roots of the equation x + px + q = 0 and γ and δ be the roots of the equation x + ax + b = 0 .
(a) Find the value of (αγ + βδ )(αδ + βγ ) in terms of p, q, a and b.
(b) Hence form, in terms of p, q, a and b, a quadratic equation in x whose roots are (αγ + βδ ) and (αδ + βγ ) .

Page 5
Q34 [Misc]
2 2
Let α be the common root of the two equations x + bx + c = 0 and x + cx + b = 0 , where b and c are distinct rational numbers.
(a) Find the value of α .
2
(b) Suppose 3b and 3c are the roots of the equation x + 3 px + q = 0......(*) where p and q are positive integers.
(i) Find the value of p.
(ii) By considering the discriminant of (*), or otherwise, determine the value of q.

Q35 [Misc]
2
Given that α and β are the roots of the quadratic equation x + px + q = 0 , where q ≠ 0 .
2 2
Express the coefficients of x and x, and also the constant term of the quadratic equation α ( x − β ) + β ( x − α ) = 0 in terms
2
(a)
of p and q.
(b) (i) Prove that if α and β are real and of opposite signs, the roots of the quadratic equation in (a) are real and of opposite
signs.
(ii) Prove that if the two quadratic equation have the same roots, then α = β .
Q36 [Misc]
2 2
(a) Given that m is the common root of the equations 4 x + ax + b = 0 and 4 x + bx + a = 0 , where a and b are distinct rational
numbers and a > b . Find the value of m.
2
(b) If, in addition, a and b are the roots of x + px + q = 0......(*) where p and q are positive integers,
(i) find the value of p,
(ii) express the discriminant of (*) in terms of q. Hence find the values of q, a and b.
[Finish the following questions if you want extra knowledge / aim at difficult questions]

Q37 [CE AMath 85I 7] (Modified)

2
(a) In the equation ax + bx + c = 0 , a, b and c are complex numbers and a ≠ 0 .
2
(i) By the method of completing the square, factorize the expression ax + bx + c .
2
(ii) Show that if a, b and c are real numbers such that b − 4ac < 0 , then the given equation has imaginary roots.
2
(iii) Show that if a = 3i, b = −2 and c = 5i, then b − 4ac > 0 , but the equation still has imaginary roots. (9 marks)
(b) The equation x − 2λ x + ( 2λ − 2λµ + µ
2 2 2
)= 0 has real roots. If λ and µ are real, show that λ = µ . (4 marks)
(c) The coefficients of the following equations are real:
x + ax + b = 0.............................. (1)
2

x + cx + d = 0.............................. ( 2)
2 x + ( a + c) x + (b + d ) = 0......... (3) .
2

Prove that if the roots of (1) and (2) are imaginary, then the roots of (3) are also imaginary. (7 marks)
Q38 [CE AMath 80II 10] (Modified)
2
Let α, β be the roots of x − 2x −1 = 0 , where α > β . For any positive integer n, let
1 1
Un = (α n
− β n ) and Vn = (α n
+β
n
).
2 2 2 2
(a) Show that U n+2 = 2U n+1 + U n and Vn+2 = 2Vn+1 + Vn

(b) (i) Find U 1 and U 2 .

(ii) Explain whether U n is an integer for all positive integers n.

(c) Explain whether Vn an integer for all positive integers n. (20 marks)
Answer
1 1 7 5 1
Q1 (a) 5 or -7 (b) − Q2 − + i Q3 (a) − (b) − k = −9 Q4 (a) 4 (b) 12 or 4
3 10 10 2 2
16 8 2
Q6 (a) 250 (b)(i) m (ii) 4m + 16 Q7 (a) 2
− 4 (b) 2
−2 Q8 (a) ab (b) b − 2ab Q9 (a)(i) 4 − k (ii) 5 − 2k
k k
2 2
(b) p = k − 4, q = 5 − 2k Q10 10 Q11 x − 4x +13 = 0 Q12 x − 3x +1 = 0

1 5 m  6  − 6 

Q14(b) − Q20(a) α + β = k + 2 αβ = k (b) 0 or − Q21   =  or
m 6 n  16 − 4 6  16 + 4 6 

2 2 2 2
Q22 x − 5 x + 6 = 0, x + 5 x + 6 = 0, x − x − 6 = 0, x + x − 6 = 0 Q25 0 or 2 Q26(b) 3 Q27(b) a = b and c = 0
 9  6   81 36 
α      x     
Q28 (a) 8 or 10 or 17 (b) No
4
 2 2

Q29 (a) q − p − 2 q + 4 p q + q Q30 (a)   =  2  or  9  (b)   =  4  or  81
3

β       y     

36   4 
6   2 
Q31 (c) c − b (d) c = b Q32(a)(i) a x − (b − 2 ac ) x + c = 0 (ii) a x − b (3ac − b )x + c
2 2 2 2 2 2 3 2 2 3 2
= 0 (b) 64 x − 65 x + 1 = 0
2 2 2 2 2
Q33 (a) bp + qa − 4bq (b) x − apx + bp + qa − 4bq = 0 Q34(a) 1 (b)(i) 1 (ii) 2 Q36(a) 1 (b)(i) 4
 b − 4ac 
2

2 
(ii) q = 3, a = −1, b = −3 Q37(a)(i) a  x +
 b
+  x + b − b − 4ac  Q38(b)(i) 1, 2 (ii) Yes (c) No
 2a 2a  2a
 2a 