FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, OWERRI

SCHOOL OF PHYSICAL SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS
LESSON NOTE
COURSE: ELEMENTARY MATHEMATICS I (MTH 101)
TOPIC: THEORY OF QUADRATIC EQUATIONS AND FUNCTIONS

Quadratic Equation: An equation that can be written in the form 𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 = 0 where

a, b, and c are real numbers and 𝑎 ≠ 0. It is an equation of the 2𝑛𝑑 degree.

Quadratic Function: A function that can be written in the form 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 or the
form 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑎(𝑥 − ℎ)2 + 𝑘 or the form 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑎(𝑥 − 𝑟1 )(𝑥 − 𝑟2 ) where a, b ,c, h, k, 𝑟1 and 𝑟2
are real numbers and 𝑎 ≠ 0.

Solution of an equation: A value that makes an equation true.

Root of an equation: Any value of the variable that makes the equation true.
X-intercept of a function: The x-coordinate(s) of the point(s) where a function intersects
the x-axis. (x, 0)
Zero of a function: For the function f, any number x such that 𝑓(𝑥) = 0.

Methods of Solving Quadratic Equations

When solving quadratic equations, we can use two methods:
1) Factorization method
2) Quadratic formula method

Factorization Method
Steps
1) Set equation equal to zero
2) Calculate 𝑐𝑎𝑥 2 and find two factors whose sum is 𝑏𝑥
3) Replace 𝑏𝑥 with the two factors
4) Group each of the factors with a convenient and existing term and equate to zero.
5) Solve for the variable
6) Check your answers
The solutions are also called roots. This is written as x = value or in set form.
The answers or values you find are called the zeroes of the function or the x-intercepts of
the function and are written as points (x, 0).

You already have several examples in your notes from the work we did yesterday. I am
adding 2 more examples for this set of notes.

Example 1:
Solve the following equation by factoring.
−𝑥 2 − 3 = −4𝑥
Solution: 𝑥 − 4𝑥 + 3 = 0, 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑎 = 1, 𝑏 = −4, 𝑐 = 3. Hence, 𝑐𝑎𝑥 2 = 3𝑥 2 .
2

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 𝑥 2 − 3𝑥 − 𝑥 + 3 = 0
(𝑥 − 3)(𝑥 − 1) = 0
𝑥 − 3 = 0 𝑜𝑟 𝑥 − 1 = 0
𝑥 = 3 𝑜𝑟 𝑥 = 1 this can also be written as {1, 3}
Check your answer by substituting values into original equation.

Another way this question could have been asked is

Find the roots of the equation by factoring.
−𝑥 2 − 3 = −4𝑥
Example 2:
Find the zeroes of the following function.
𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 − 4𝑥 + 3
Solution:
1) 𝑥 2 − 4𝑥 + 3 = 0
2) (𝑥 − 3)(𝑥 − 1) = 0
3) 𝑥 − 3 = 0 or 𝑥 − 1 = 0
𝑥 = 3 or 𝑥=1
(1, 0) and (3 ,0) are the zeroes of the function.
4) Check your answer by substituting values into original equation.

Another way this question could have been asked is

Find the x-intercepts of the function.
𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 − 4𝑥 + 3

Example 3: Solve 2𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 − 12 = 0
Solution:
2𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 − 12 = 0 is factorizable if we can find two factors whose product is −12(2𝑥) = −
24𝑥 and whose sum is 5𝑥. When these two factors exist, we factorize first expressing 2𝑥 2 +
5𝑥 − 12 = 0 as four terms writing 5𝑥 as the sum of these two factors and lastly factorizing
in pairs. The two satisfying factors are 8𝑥 and −3𝑥. Hence the equation is written as
2𝑥 2 + 8𝑥 − 3𝑥 − 12 = 0
Factorizing in pairs we have
2𝑥(𝑥 + 4) − 3(𝑥 + 4) = 0 and so
(𝑥 + 4)(2𝑥 − 3) = 0
This method uses the fact that (𝑥 + 4)(2𝑥 − 3) = 0 implies that
(𝑥 + 4) = 0 or (2𝑥 − 3) = 0 or both.
=> 𝑥 = −4 or 𝑥 = 3⁄2
The roots of the given quadratic equation are −4 and 3⁄2 .

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Assignment:
Solve each quadratic equation using factoring:

1) 𝑥 2 – 3𝑥 + 2 = 0 14) 3𝑥 2 – 10𝑥 + 3 = 0
2) 𝑧 2 – 5𝑧 + 4 = 0 15) 3𝑥 2 – 8𝑥 + 4 = 0
3) 𝑥 2 – 8𝑥 + 16 = 0 16) 5𝑥 2 + 11𝑥 + 2 = 0
4) 𝑟 2 – 12𝑟 + 35 = 0 17) 𝑦 2 = 8𝑦 + 20
5) 𝑐 2 + 6𝑐 + 5 = 0 18) 𝑥 2 = 9𝑥 – 20
6) 𝑚2 + 10𝑚 + 9 = 0 19) 𝑥 2 = 30 + 𝑥
7) 𝑥 2 – 49 = 0 20) 2𝑥 2 – 𝑥 = 15
8) 𝑥 2 – 4 = 0 21) 𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 – 4 = 50
9) 𝑚2 – 64 = 0 22) 2𝑥 2 + 7 = 5 – 5𝑥
10) 3𝑥 2 – 12 = 0 23) 𝑥(𝑥 – 2) = 35
11) 𝑑2 – 2𝑑 = 0 24) 𝑦(𝑦 – 3) = 4
12) 𝑠 2 – 𝑠 = 0 𝑥 + 2 12
25) =
13) 2𝑥 2 – 5𝑥 + 2 = 0 2 𝑥
𝑦+3 6
26) =
3 𝑦

Quadratic formula method

Not every quadratic equation can be solved by factoring. In such cases, we can use the
quadratic formula.

The Quadratic Formula:

−𝑏 ± √𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑐
𝑥=
2𝑎
To Solve a Quadratic Using the Quadratic Formula:
1) Put the quadratic equation into standard form (above).
2) Write out the formula and what 𝑎, 𝑏, & 𝑐 stand for.
3) Substitute for each variable.
4) Split into two separate equations (setting each equal to zero) and solve.
5) Check each root in the original equation.

Example 4: Find the roots of the quadratic equation, 2𝑥 2 + 𝑥 = 6

It cannot be solved by factorization method; hence, we use the formula method.

−𝑏 ± √𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑐
𝑥= , 𝑎 = 2, 𝑏 = 1, 𝑐 = −6
2𝑎
−(1) ± √(1)2 − 4(2)(−6)
𝑥=
2(2)
−1 ± √1 + 48
𝑥=
4

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 −1 ± √49 −1 ± 7
𝑥= ⇒ 𝑥=
4 4
−1 + 7 −1 − 7 3
𝑥= 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑥 = ⇒ 𝑥= 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑥 = −2
4 4 2

Example 5: Find the root of the following

𝑥 + 3 𝑥 − 3 2𝑥 − 3
+ =
𝑥+2 𝑥−2 𝑥−1
Solution: On the LHS, the LCM is (𝑥 + 2)(𝑥 − 2). Hence, we have

(𝑥 + 3)(𝑥 − 2) + (𝑥 − 3)(𝑥 + 2) 2𝑥 − 3
=
(𝑥 + 2)(𝑥 − 2) 𝑥−1
𝑥 2 + 𝑥 − 6 + 𝑥 2 − 𝑥 − 6 2𝑥 − 3 2𝑥 2 − 12 2𝑥 − 3
= ⇒ =
𝑥2 − 4 𝑥−1 𝑥2 − 4 𝑥−1
Multiply both sides by (𝑥 2 − 4)(𝑥 − 1) to have
(2𝑥 2 − 12)(𝑥 − 1) = (2𝑥 − 3)(𝑥 2 − 4)
2𝑥 − 2𝑥 − 12𝑥 + 12 = 2𝑥 3 − 8𝑥 − 3𝑥 2 + 12 ⇒ 𝑥 2 − 4𝑥 = 0 ⇒ 𝑥(𝑥 − 4) = 0
3 2

Therefor, 𝑥 = 0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑥 = 4

Relation Between Roots and the Coefficient of a Quadratic Equation

Let 𝛼 and 𝛽 be the roots of the equation 𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 = 0. Let us now determine how
𝑎, 𝑏, and 𝑐 relate to 𝛼 and 𝛽.
Multiply 𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 = 0 by 4𝑎 to get
4𝑎2 𝑥 2 + 4𝑎𝑏𝑥 + 4𝑎𝑐 = 0
(2𝑎𝑥)2 + 2(𝑎𝑏𝑥) + 𝑏 2 − 𝑏 2 + 4𝑎𝑐 = 0
(2𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏)2 = 𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑐
2𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏 = ±√𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑐
−𝑏 ± √𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑐
𝑥=
2𝑎
Therefore,
−𝑏+√𝑏 2 −4𝑎𝑐 −𝑏−√𝑏 2 −4𝑎𝑐
Let 𝛼 = , 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝛽 =
2𝑎 2𝑎
−𝑏 + √𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑐 −𝑏 − √𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑐
𝛼+𝛽 = +
2𝑎 2𝑎
2𝑏 𝑏
𝛼+𝛽 =− ⇒ −
2𝑎 𝑎
Similarly,
−𝑏 + √𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑐 −𝑏 − √𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑐
𝛼. 𝛽 = ×
2𝑎 2𝑎
2
2 2
(−𝑏) − (√𝑏 − 4𝑎𝑐) 𝑏 − (𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑐)
2
𝛼. 𝛽 = ⇒
4𝑎2 4𝑎2
4𝑎𝑐 𝑐
𝛼. 𝛽 = 2 ⇒
4𝑎 𝑎

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 𝑏 𝑐
Therefore, 𝛼 + 𝛽 = − 𝑎 and 𝛼. 𝛽 = 𝑎 represents the required relations between roots
(𝛼 and 𝛽), and coefficients (𝑎, 𝑏, and 𝑐) of the equation 𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 = 0.

Example 6: If the roots of the equation 7𝑥 2 − 4𝑥 − 8 = 0 be 𝛼 and 𝛽, then,

𝑏 (−4) 4
Sum of the roots 𝛼 + 𝛽 = − 𝑎 = − 7 = 7
𝑐 (−8) 8
Product of the roots 𝛼𝛽 = 𝑎 = = −7
7

Assignment
1. Solve each equation using the quadratic formula. Find the sum and product of the
roots.
2
1) 𝑥 − 7𝑥 + 6 = 0 9) 𝑥 2 + 10𝑥 = −25
2
2) 𝑥 + 4𝑥– 5 = 0 10) 𝑥 2 + 𝑥 = 12
3) 𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 + 2 = 0 11) 𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 = 24
2
4) 2𝑥 + 𝑥– 1 = 0 12) 𝑥 2 = 𝑥 + 2
5) 3𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 2 = 0 13) 𝑥 2 + 8 = 6𝑥
6) 3𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 2 = 0 14) 2𝑥 2 – 10 = 𝑥
2
7) 𝑥 + 6𝑥 + 9 = 0 15) 𝑥 2 – 9 = 0
8) 4𝑥 2 – 4𝑥 + 1 = 0 16) 5𝑥 2 = 20

2. For each of the following, figure out which type of equation you have been given,
then choose the best method to solve. Do not forget to check!

5 11) 9(3𝑥 + 1) = 8(5𝑥 + 6)

1) 20– ( ) 𝑥 = 40
8 12) 15𝑥 = 𝑥 2 – 16
2) 6(7𝑥 – 2) = 8(4𝑥 + 1) 13) 𝑥 2 + 8𝑥 = 12
3) 2(5𝑥– 4)– 3(4𝑥 + 3) = −43 14) 9(4𝑥 + 7)– 6(7𝑥 + 10) = −54
4) 𝑥 2 + 44 = 15𝑥 15) 44 = 20– 2𝑥
5) 3𝑥 2 + 18𝑥 = 81 16) 4𝑥 2 – 128 = 16𝑥
6) 3𝑥 2 = 5𝑥 + 5 17) 3𝑥 2 – 8𝑥 + 6 = 𝑥 + 6
7) 11𝑥– 5 = 7𝑥– 53 18) 7(6𝑥 + 2) = 10(3𝑥 + 5)
8) 6(3𝑥 + 1) + 5(10 – 4𝑥) = 39 19) 3𝑥 2 + 13𝑥– 12 = 9𝑥 2 – 11𝑥– 12
1 20) 2𝑥 2 – 14 = 10𝑥
9) 𝑥 – 33 = −49
4
10) 7𝑥 2 – 1 = 3𝑥

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