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Quadratic Equation

A quadratic equation is a second-degree polynomial in the form ax² + bx + c = 0, where a, b, and c are constants and a is not zero. Solutions can be found using methods such as factoring, the square root property, completing the square, and the quadratic formula, with the discriminant indicating the nature of the roots. Quadratic equations have applications in fields like physics, engineering, and economics, and their graphs form parabolas that open upwards or downwards depending on the sign of 'a'.

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7 views3 pages

Quadratic Equation

A quadratic equation is a second-degree polynomial in the form ax² + bx + c = 0, where a, b, and c are constants and a is not zero. Solutions can be found using methods such as factoring, the square root property, completing the square, and the quadratic formula, with the discriminant indicating the nature of the roots. Quadratic equations have applications in fields like physics, engineering, and economics, and their graphs form parabolas that open upwards or downwards depending on the sign of 'a'.

Uploaded by

pavanivaddisetti6
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Quadratic Equation :

What is a Quadratic Equation?

A quadratic equation is a polynomial equation of the second degree. This means the highest
power of the variable (usually 'x') is 2. The standard form of a quadratic equation is:

ax2+bx+c=0

where:

 'a', 'b', and 'c' are constants (real numbers), and


 'a' is not equal to 0 (otherwise, it would be a linear equation).

Understanding the Components:

 ax2: This is the quadratic term.


 bx: This is the linear term.
 c: This is the constant term.

Solving Quadratic Equations

Finding the solutions (or roots) of a quadratic equation means finding the values of 'x' that
satisfy the equation. There are several methods to solve quadratic equations:

1. Factoring:
o This method involves expressing the quadratic expression as a product of two
linear factors.
o Example: x2+5x+6=0 can be factored as (x+2)(x+3)=0.
o Setting each factor to zero gives the solutions: x=−2 and x=−3.
o This method is fastest when the roots are rational numbers.
2. Square Root Property:
o This method is used when the equation can be written in the form (x+d)2=e.
o Example: (x−2)2=9. Taking the square root of both sides gives x−2=±3,
leading to x=5 or x=−1.
3. Completing the Square:
o This method involves manipulating the equation to create a perfect square
trinomial.
o It's useful for deriving the quadratic formula.
o Example: x2+6x+5=0.
 Move the constant to the right: x2+6x=−5.
 Add (b/2)2 to both sides: x2+6x+9=−5+9.
 Factor the left side: (x+3)2=4.
 Take the square root: x+3=±2.
 Solve for x: x=−1 or x=−5.
4. Quadratic Formula:
o This is the most general method and can be used to solve any quadratic
equation.
o The formula is:
x=2a−b±b2−4ac

o Example: For 2x2−5x+3=0, a=2, b=−5, and c=3.


 Substituting into the formula gives:

x=2(2)−(−5)±(−5)2−4(2)(3)=45±1

 Therefore, x=1 or x=23.

The Discriminant

The discriminant, denoted as D or Δ, is the part of the quadratic formula under the square
root:

D=b2−4ac

The discriminant tells us about the nature of the roots:

 If D>0, the equation has two distinct real roots.


 If D=0, the equation has one real root (or two equal real roots).
 If D<0, the equation has two complex (non-real) roots.

Properties of Roots

Let α and β be the roots of the quadratic equation ax2+bx+c=0. Then:

 Sum of Roots: α+β=−ab


 Product of Roots: αβ=ac

Applications of Quadratic Equations

Quadratic equations have numerous applications in various fields, including:

 Physics: Projectile motion, calculating areas and volumes.


 Engineering: Designing bridges, calculating stress and strain.
 Economics: Modeling supply and demand curves.
 Computer Graphics: Creating curves and surfaces.
 Optimization Problems: Finding maximum or minimum values.

Graphing Quadratic Equations

The graph of a quadratic equation y=ax2+bx+c is a parabola.

 If a>0, the parabola opens upwards.


 If a<0, the parabola opens downwards.
 The vertex of the parabola is located at x=−2ab.
 The Y intercept is located at c.

Important Notes:
 Complex roots always occur in conjugate pairs (if p+qi is a root, then p−qi is also a
root).

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