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GCE AS Level Quadratics Solving Quadratic Equations

This document provides an overview of three methods for solving quadratic equations: factorisation, completing the square, and the quadratic formula. It includes examples of solving quadratic equations using each method and explains the steps involved.

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Renic4l
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22 views

GCE AS Level Quadratics Solving Quadratic Equations

This document provides an overview of three methods for solving quadratic equations: factorisation, completing the square, and the quadratic formula. It includes examples of solving quadratic equations using each method and explains the steps involved.

Uploaded by

Renic4l
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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GCE A Level Maths 9709

SMIYL
March 2023

1.1 Quadratics
In this topic we will learn how to:
• solve quadratic equations, by factorising, completing the square and using
the formula
Solving Quadratic Equations

There are three ways of solving quadratics:


1. Factorisation

A quadratic equation can be solved by sight using factorization.


(a) When the coefficient of x2 is 1

To factorise the quadratic x2 + bx + c , find the pair of factors


of c that add up to b. Let’s take a look at the example below.

Solve x2 + 5x − 6 = 0 by factorization.

x2 + 5x − 6 = 0

The first step is to open two sets of parentheses next to each


other each with an x in them and equate them to 0,

(x )(x )=0

Identify b and c
b = 5, c = −6

Find pair factors of c,


−6 and 1; 6 and −1; 3 and −2; −2 and 3

1
Find the pair of factors that add up to b,
6 and −1

Add each number to one of the two parentheses we opened


earlier,
(x + 6)(x − 1) = 0

Note: If you were to expand the two sets of parentheses you


should get the original equation.

Equate each bracket to 0,


x + 6 = 0 asdfasfdx − 1 = 0

Solve the two linear equations,


x = −6 asdfasfdx = 1

Therefore, your roots are:

x = −6, asdf x = 1

(b) When the coefficient of x2 is not 1

Factorizing a quadratic equation when the coefficient of x2


is not 1 is a bit more challenging, however, with enough
practice, it will become easier. Let’s take a look at the
example below.

Solve 2x2 + 9x + 10 = 0 by factorization.

2x2 + 9x + 10 = 0

The first step is to identify a, b and c,

a = 2, asdf b = 9, asdf c = 10

Then find the product of a and c,

2 × 10 = 20

List the pair factors of 20,


20 and 1; 10 and 2; 5 and 4; −20 and −1; −10 and −2; −5 and −4;

2
Find the pair of factors that add up to b,
5 and 4;

Rewrite b as the sum of these factors,

2x2 + 9x + 10 = 0

2x2 + (5 + 4)x + 10 = 0

Remove the parentheses,

2x2 + 5x + 4x + 10 = 0

Now we will factorize by grouping. Group terms that are


multiples of each other,

(2x2 + 4x) + (5x + 10) = 0

Factorise the expressions in parentheses,

2x(x + 2) + 5(x + 2) = 0

We then factor out the (x + 2) since it is common,

(2x + 5)(x + 2) = 0

Equate each bracket to 0,

2x + 5 = 0asdf asdf x + 2 = 0

Solve the two linear equations,


5
x = − asdf asdf x = −2
2

Therefore, your roots are:


5
x = − , asdf x = −2
2

Note: With practice, most of the steps outlined above will


become intuitive and you can skip them. Factorising by
sight should be the method you use in solving a quadratic
equation unless told otherwise.

3
2. Completing the square

To solve a quadratic equation using the completing the square


method you first have to complete the square. After completing
the square, make x the subject of the formula. Let’s take a look
at an example below.

Solve x2 + 5x − 6 = 0 by first completing the square.

x2 + 5x − 6 = 0

The first step is to complete the square,


 2  2
5 5
x+ − −6=0
2 2

Simplify,
 2
5 49
x+ − =0
2 4

Once you have completed the square you have to make x the
subject of the formula. To do that we will start by moving the
term outside the parentheses to the other side of the equal sign,
 2
5 49
x+ =
2 4

Take the square root of both sides to get rid of the power 2,
s 2 r
5 49
x+ =±
2 4

Note: We put a ± sign, whenever we take the square root of a


number.

The square root gets rid of the power 2 on the left hand side,
5 7
x+ =±
2 2

4
Make x the subject of the formula,
5 7
x=− ±
2 2

Since there is a ± sign, we can split the equation above into two
separate equations,
5 7 5 7
x = − + asdf adf x = − −
2 2 2 2

So our equation has two solutions which are,

x = 1asdf asdf x = −6

3. Quadratic Formula

For the quadratic equation ax2 +bx+c = 0. The quadratic formula


is, √
−b ± b2 − 4ac
x=
2a
,

This can be used to solve any quadratic equation, where a, b and


c are known constants.

Let’s take a look at an example below.

Solve x2 + 5x − 6 = 0 using the quadratic formula.

The first step is to identify the values of a, b, and c,

a = 1, b = 5, c = −6

Substitute a = 1, b = 5, c = −6 into the quadratic formula,


p
−5 ± 52 − 4(1)(−6)
x=
2(1)

Simplify, √
−5 ± 25 + 24
x=
2

5
√
−5 ± 49
x=
2

−5 ± 7
x=
2

The above can be written as two separate equations,


5 7 5 7
x = − + asdf asdf x = − −
2 2 2 2

So our final solutions are,

x = 1asdf asf dx = −6

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