Chapter 2: Equations and Polynomials of Second Degree

Objectives:
At the end of this chapter, the student will be able to:
- Solve second degree equations.
- Use the calculator to check the solutions of second degree equations.
- Solve incomplete second degree equations.
- Determine the sum and the product of the roots of second degree equations.
- Recognize the particular cases to solve second degree equations.
- Find two real numbers of given sum and of given product.
- Solve Biquadratic equations, rational equations and irrational equations.

Activity:
Solve in each of the following equations:
1) ( ) .
Answer:
; ; , then .

2) ( ) ( ).
Answer:
; ; (impossible), then this equation
has no solution.

3) ( ) ( ) .
Answer:
; ; (true), then this
equation admits any number as a solution.

In general:
- The first degree equation in one unknown is of the form: or :
 If , then the equation admits one solution: .
 If and , then the equation is impossible and has no solution.
 If and , then the equation admits any number as a solution.
- Solving this equation is to find the value of which verifies it, and to solve this equation we group
the unknown terms in one side, and the known terms in the other.
- Each term transfer from one side to another we change its sign.
- Note that: the degree of an equation is the highest exponent of the variable.

Remark: To solve an equation of degree more than one, we follow these steps:
- Make a side equal to zero.
- Factorize using: common factor, identities, grouping …
- Solve each factor equal to zero, that is: is equivalent to or .

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Example:
Solve in each of the following equations:
1) ( )( ).
Answer:
( )( ) ( )( ) ; ( )( ) ( )( ) ;
( )( ) ( )( ) ; ( )[( ) ( )] ;
( )[ ] ;( )( ) ; or ;
or , then or .

2) .
Answer:
; ( ) ; ( )( ) ; or or , then
or or .

General form of a second degree equation (quadratic equation):

The general form of a second degree equation is: , where , and are real
coefficients with . The coefficients may be numerical or parametric.

Examples:
- is a second degree equation of numerical coefficient ( , and ).
- ( ) is a second degree equation of parametric coefficient.

Solving second degree equation:

To solve the equation: , we use the discriminant :
√ √
- If , then the equation admits two distinct real roots: and .
- If , then the equation admits a double root: .
- If , then the equation does not admit a real root.

Example:
Solve in each of the following equations:
1) .
Answer:
( ) ( )( ) , then the equation admits two distinct real roots:
√ √ √ √
( )
; ( )
.

2) √ .
Answer:
( √ ) ( )( ) , then the equation admits a double root:
√ √
( )
.

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3) .
Answer:
( ) ( )( ) , then the equation does not admit a real root.

Remarks:
- If and are of opposite signs then the equation admits two distinct real roots,
Proof: and are of opposite signs ; ; ; , then .
- If is even in the equation , where , then we can calculate the reduced
discriminant , where :
√ √
 If , then the equation admits two distinct real roots: and .

 If , then the equation admits a double root: .

 If , then the equation does not admit a real root.

Example 1:
Solve in the equation: .
Answer:
In this equation, we have (even), then .
( ) ( )( ) , then the equation admits two distinct real roots:
√ √ √ √
and .

Example 2:
Solve in the equation in : , where is a real parameter.
Answer:
In this equation, we have (even), then .
( ) ( )( ) .
Root of is: ; ; .

Two distinct real roots No real roots

Result √ √
√
√ √
√

Double root

Incomplete second degree equation:

If or , then the equation is called incomplete and its solution is immediate.

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Example:
Solve in each of the following equations:
1) .
Answer:
√ √
; ( √ )( √ ) ; √ or √ , then or .

2) .
Answer:
(impossible), then the equation has no real solution.

3) .
Answer:
; ( ) ; or , then or .

Sum and product of the roots:

If the equation ( ), admits two real roots and , then:
The sum of the roots is: , and the product of the roots is: .

Example:
Suppose that the equation: admits two real roots and .
Without calculating and , find the value of each of the following:
, , and .
Answer:
; .
( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) .

( ) ( ) ( ) .
Remark:
We can replace: by .

Example:
Verify that is a root of the equation: and deduce the other root.
Answer:
( ) ( ) , then is a root of the equation.

We have: ; , then . (we can use ).

Particular cases:
Consider the equation , where :
- If , then the equation admits two roots: and .
- If , then the equation admits two roots: and .

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Example:
Solve in each of the following equations:
1) .
Answer:
, then the equation admits two roots: and .

2) .
Answer:
, then the equation admits two roots: and .

Finding two real numbers of a given sum and a given product:

If and are two real numbers such that their sum is and their product is are given, then and
are the roots of the quadratic equation: .

Example 1:
Find two real numbers and such that their sum and their product .
Answer:
and are the roots of the equation: , then .
( ) ( )( ) , then we have two distinct real roots:
√ √ √ √
( )
; ( )
, then the required numbers are and .

Example 2:
Form an equation of the second degree admitting as roots: √ and √ .
Answer:
√ √ and ( √ )( √ ) .
The required equation is: , then .

Example 3:
Calculate the dimensions of a rectangle knowing that its perimeter is and its area is .
Answer:
Let and be the length and width of the rectangle.
; ( ) ; , then .
; , then .

and are the roots of the equation: ; ; , .

Then the length of the rectangle is and the width is .

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Example 4:
Solve the system: { .
Answer:
{ ; and ;

and are the solution of the equation: ; ; , .

Then the solution is: ( and ) or ( and ).

Bisquared equations (Biquadratic):

The general form of Bisquared equation is: , where .
To solve this equation, make a change of variable: .
Then the equation becomes: .
Calculate the value(s) of , and then deduce the value(s) of .

Example:
Solve in each of the following equations:
1) .
Answer:
Let , then the equation becomes: ; or ;
or (impossible), then or .

2) | | .
Answer:
Let | |, then the equation becomes: ; or ;
| | or | | (impossible), then or .

3) .
Answer:
Let , then the equation becomes: ; or ;
or (impossible) ; , then .

4) .
Answer:
Let , then the equation becomes: ; or ;
or , then √ or √ .

Rational equation:
The general form of a rational equation is: , and to solve it we must determine:
- Domain for .
- Solution for .

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Example:
Solve in the equation: .
Answer:
This equation is defined for: and ; and .
Solution:
( )( ) ( )( ) ; ; .
( ) ( )( ) , then the equation admits two distinct real roots:

√ √ √ √
√ (accepted) and √ (accepted).

Irrational equation:
The general form of an irrational equation is: √ , and to solve it we must determine:
- Domain for .
- Solution for (√ ) , then .

Example 1:
Solve the equation: √ .
Answer:
This equation is defined for: ; ; .

Solution:
(√ ) ( ) ; ; .

( ) ( )( ) , then the equation admits two distinct real roots:

√ √ √ √
( )
(accepted) ; ( )
(rejected).

Example 2:
Solve the equation: √ √ .
Answer:
This equation is defined for: and ; and , then for .

Solution:
(√ √ ) ( ) ; √ ;
√ ; √ ; ( √ ) ( ) ;
( ) ; ;
, then (accepted).
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General example:
Consider the second degree equation in : ( ) , where is a real
parameter, and are its roots when they exist.
1) For what value of , the equation admits a single root. Calculate this root.
In what follows: .
2) For what values of , the equation admits real root.
3) Calculate such that is a root of the equation. Deduce the other root.
4) Calculate such that the roots of this equation are opposite.
5) Can these roots be reciprocals?

Solution:
1) The equation admits a single root for ; , then .
For :( ) ( ) ; , then .

2) The equation admits real root for ; ( ) ( )( ) ;

; ; ; ;
But , then ] [ ] ].

3) is a root of the equation ; ( )( ) ( ) ;

; ; , then (accepted).

To find the other root we can use :

; , then .

4) The roots of this equation are opposite ; ; ; ; ;

; , then (accepted).

5) The roots are reciprocals ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

(impossible), then the roots can’t be reciprocals.

Solve Ex: 1, 2, 3 / P : 26 + Ex : 7, 9, 11, 12 / P : 27 + Ex : 13, 14, 15, 16 / P : 28 + Ex : 20 / P: 29.

Solve Ex : 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 / P: 30 + Ex : 29 / P : 31.