Module 1

Linear and Quadratic Equations

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A linear equation in one variable is an equation which can
be written in the form:
ax + b = c
for a, b, and c real numbers with a  0.
Linear equations in one variable:

2(x  1) = 8 can be rewritten 2x + ( 2) = 8.

2 1
x  5  x  7 can be rewritten  x + 5 =  7.
3 3
Not linear equations with one variable:
2
2x + 3y = 11 (x  1) = 8
2  5 x  7
3x
Two variables x is squared. Variable in the denominator

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A solution of a linear equation in one variable is a real number
which, when substituted for the variable in the equation, makes
the equation true.
Example: Is 3 a solution of 2x + 3 = 11?
2x + 3 = 11 Original equation
2(3) + 3 = 11 Substitute 3 for x.
6 + 3 = 11 False equation
3 is not a solution of 2x + 3 = 11.

Example: Is 4 a solution of 2x + 3 = 11?

2x + 3 = 11 Original equation
2(4) + 3 = 11 Substitute 4 for x.
8 + 3 = 11 True equation
4 is a solution of 2x + 3 = 11.

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 To solve a linear equation in one variable:
1. Simplify both sides of the equation.
2. Use the addition and subtraction properties to get all variable terms
on the left-hand side and all constant terms on the right-hand side.
3. Simplify both sides of the equation.
4. Divide both sides of the equation by the coefficient of the variable.

Example: Solve x + 1 = 3(x  5).

x + 1 = 3(x  5) Original equation
x + 1 = 3x  15 Simplify right-hand side.
x = 3x  16 Subtract 1 from both sides.
 2x =  16 Subtract 3x from both sides.
x=8 Divide both sides by 2.
Check the solution:
(8) + 1 = 3((8)  5)  9 = 3(3)
True
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Equations with fractions can be simplified by multiplying both
sides by a common denominator.
1 2 1
Example: Solve x   ( x  4 ). The lowest common denominator
2 3 3 of all fractions in the equation is 6.
1 2 1 
6 x  
 6 ( x  4 )  Multiply by 6.
2 3 3 
3x + 4 = 2x + 8 Simplify.
x=4
.

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 Example: Alice has a coin purse containing $5.40 in dimes
and quarters. There are 24 coins all together. How many dimes
are in the coin purse?
Let the number of dimes in the coin purse = d.
Then the number of quarters = 24  d.
10d + 25(24  d) = 540 Linear equation

10d + 600  25d = 540 Simplify left-hand side.

10d  25d =  60 Subtract 600.

15d =  60 Simplify right-hand side.

d=4 Divide by 15.

There are 4 dimes in Alice’s coin purse.

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Example:The sum of three consecutive integers is 54.
What are the three integers?
Three consecutive integers can be represented as
n, n + 1, n + 2.
n + (n + 1) + (n + 2) = 54 Linear equation

3n + 3 = 54 Simplify left-hand side.

3n = 51 Subtract 3.

n = 17 Divide by 3.

The three consecutive integers are 17, 18, and 19.

17 + 18 + 19 = 54. Check.

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Writing and Graphing Linear
Equations

Linear equations can be used

to represent relationships.

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 Writing Equations and Graphing

• These activities introduce rates of change and defines

slope of a line as the ratio of the vertical change to the
horizontal change.

• This leads to graphing a linear equation and writing the

equation of a line in three different forms.

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Linear equation – An equation whose solutions form
a straight line on a coordinate plane.
Collinear – Points that lie on the same line.
Slope – A measure of the steepness of a line on a
graph; rise divided by the run.

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 A linear equation is an
equation whose solutions fall
on a line on the coordinate
plane. All solutions of a
particular linear equation fall
on the line, and all the points
on the line are solutions of the
equation.
Look at the graph to the left,
points (1, 3) and (-3, -5) are
found on the line and are
solutions to the equation.

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If an equation is linear, a
constant change in the x-value
produces a constant change in
the y-value.

The graph to the right shows an

example where each time the x-
value increases by 2, the
y-value increases by 3.

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 Real world example

The graph (c = 5x + 10)

at the left shows the cost for
Company A cell phone
charges.

What does Company A charge

for 20 minutes of service?

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Slopes: positive, negative, no slope (zero), undefined.

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x-intercept – the x-coordinate of the point where the graph of
a line crosses the x-axis (where y = 0).
y-intercept – the y-coordinate of the point where the graph of
a line crosses the y-axis (where x = 0).
Slope-intercept form (of an equation) – a linear equation
written in the form y = mx +b, where m represents slope and b
represents the y-intercept.
Standard form (of an equation) – an equation written in the
form of Ax + By = C, where A, B, and C are real numbers, and
A and B are both ≠ 0.

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• The standard form of a linear
equation, you can use the x-
and y- intercepts to make a Standard Form of an Equation
graph.
• The x-intercept is the x-value
of the point where the line
crosses.
• The y-intercept is the y-value
of the point where the line
crosses.

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Find the x-intercept and y-intercept of each line. Use the
intercepts to graph the equation.

1) x – y = 5

2) 2x + 3y = 12

3) 4x = 12 + 3y

4) 2x + y = 7

5) 2y = 20 – 4x

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• An equation whose
graph is a straight line is
Slope-intercept Form
a linear equation. Since
a function rule is an
equation, a function can
also be linear.
• m = slope
• b = y-intercept Y = mx + b
(if you know the slope and
where the line crosses the
y-axis, use this form)

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Using slope-intercept form to
find slopes and y-intercepts

The graph at the right shows

the equation of a line both in
standard form and slope-
intercept form.

rewrite the equation 6x – 3y =

12 in slope-intercept to be able
to identify the slope and y-
intercept.

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Using slope-intercept form to write equations,
Rewrite the equation solving for y = to determine the
slope and y-intercept.

3x – y = 14 x + 2y = 8
-y = -3x + 14 2y = -x + 8
-1 -1 -1 2 2 2
y = 3x – 14 or y = -1x + 4
3x – y = 14 2
3x = y + 14
3x – 14 = y

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 Example: Write the equation of a line in slope-
intercept form that passes through points (3, -4) and
(-1, 4).

2) Choose either point and

substitute. Solve for b.
y = mx + b (3, -4)
-4 = (-2)(3) + b
-4 = -6 + b
2=b
Substitute m and b in
equation.
Y = mx + b
Y = -2x + 2
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• Suppose you know that a line
passes through the point (3, Point-Slope Form and Writing
4) with slope 2. You can Equations
quickly write an equation of
the line using the x- and y-
coordinates of the point and
using the slope. y – y1 = m(x –
• The point-slope form of the
equation of a nonvertical line x1)
that passes through the (if you know a point and the
slope, use this form)
(x1, y1) with slope m.

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Example:Using point-slope form, write the equation of a line that
passes through (4, 1) with slope -2.
y – y1 = m(x – x1)
y – 1 = -2(x – 4)Substitute 4 for x1, 1 for y1 and -2 for m.

Write in slope-intercept form.

y – 1 = -2x + 8 Add 1 to both sides
y = -2x + 9

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• If you know two points on a line, first use them to
find the slope. Then you can write an equation
using either point.

y2  y1
m
• Step one – Find the slope x2  x1
of a line with points (-4, 1 3 2
  1
3), (-2, 1)  2   4  2

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• Step Two – Use either point to write the equation in
point-slope form. Use (-4, 3)

y – y1 = m(x – x1)
Y – 3 = -1[x – (-4)]
Y – 3 = -1(x + 4)

Write in slope-intercept form

Y – 3 = -1(x + 4)
Y – 3 = -x - 4
Y = -x - 1

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There are several ways to graph a straight line given its equation.

Slope-intercept Point-slope Horizontal line Vertical line

y =mx +b y - y1 =m(x – Y =3 (or any X = -2 (or any
When stated in x1) #) #)
“y=” f orm, it
when graphing, Horizontal Vertical line
quickly gives the
slope, m, and
put this lines have a have no slope
where the line equation into slope of zero – (it does not
crosses the y- “y=” f orm to they have exist) – they
axis, b, called the easily read “run”, but no have “rise”,
y-intercept. graphing “rise” – all of but no “run” –
inf ormation. the y values all of the x
are 3. values are -2.

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QUADRATIC EQUATIONS

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 Basics

• A quadratic equation is an equation equivalent to an equation

of the type
ax2 + bx + c = 0, where a is nonzero
• We can solve a quadratic equation by factoring and using The
Principle of Zero Products
If ab = 0, then either a = 0, b = 0, or both a and b = 0.

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Example: Solve (4t + 1)(3t – 5) = 0

Notice the equation as given is of the form ab = 0

 set each factor equal to 0 and solve
4t + 1 = 0 Subtract 1
4t = – 1 Divide by 4
t=–¼
3t – 5 = 0 Add 5
3t = 5 Divide by 3
t = 5/3
Solution: t = - ¼ and 5/3  t = {- ¼, 5/3}

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 Solving by taking square roots

• An alternate method of solving a quadratic equation is using

the Principle of Taking the Square Root of Each Side of an
Equation
If x2 = a, then, x  a

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Example: Solve by taking square roots 5(x + 5)2 – 75 = 0
First, isolate the squared factor:

5(x + 5)2 = 75
(x + 5)2 = 15
Now take the square root of both sides:
2
( x  5 )  15
x  5  15
x  5  15
x  5  15 , x  5  15

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 Completing the Square

• Recall from factoring that a Perfect-Square Trinomial is the

square of a binomial:
Perfect square Trinomial Binomial Square
x2 + 8x + 16 (x + 4)2
x2 – 6x + 9 (x – 3)2
• The square of half of the coefficient of x equals the constant
term:
( ½ * 8 )2 = 16
[½ (-6)]2 = 9

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Example: Solve 2r2 = 3 – 5r by completing the square

First, rewrite the equation with the constant on one side of the
equals and a lead coefficient of 1.

2r2 + 5r = 3  r2 + (5/2)r
(5/2) = (3/2)
Add [½(b)]2 to both sides: b = 5/2 [½(5/2)]2 = (5/4)2

r2 + (5/2)r + 25/16 = (3/2) + 25/16

r2 + (5/2)r + 25/16 = 24/16 + 25/16
= 25/16
(r + 5/4)2 = 49/16
Now take the square root of both sides
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(r  5 / 4)  49 / 16
2

r  5 / 4 (7 / 4)
r  (5 / 4) (7 / 4)
r = - (5/4) + (7/4) = 2/4 = ½
and r = - (5/4) - (7/4) = -12/4 = - 3
r = { ½ , - 3}

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Example: Solve 3p – 5 = (p – 1)(p – 2)
Is this a quadratic equation? FOIL the RHS

3p – 5 = p2 – 2p – p + 2
3p – 5 = p2 – 3p + 2 Collect all terms
p2 – 6p + 7 = 0
Quadratic Equation  complete the square
p2 – 6p = – 7  [½(-6)]2 = (-3)2 = 9
p2 – 6p + 9 = – 7 + 9
(p – 3)2 = 2

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 (p  3)  2
2

p  3  2
p 3  2
p {3  2,3  2}

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 The Quadratic Formula

• Consider a quadratic equation of the form ax2 + bx + c = 0 for

a nonzero
• Completing the square

ax  bx  c 2

b c
x  x 2

a a
b b c b 2 2

x  x
2
 
a 4a a 4a 2 2

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 b b 4ac b 2 2

x  x
2
 
a 4a 4a 4a 2 2 2

b  b  4ac
2


2

 x  
 2a  4a 2

Solutions to ax2 + bx + c = 0 for a nonzero are

 b  b  4ac 2

x
2a
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Example: Use the Quadratic Formula to solve

2m2 + m – 10 = 0
Recall: For quadratic equation ax2 + bx + c = 0, the solutions to
a quadratic equation are given by

 b  b 2  4ac
m
2a
Identify a, b, and c in am2 + bm + c = 0:

a=2 b= 1 c = - 10

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  1  12  4(2)( 10)
m
2( 2 )
 1  1  80
m
4
 1  81
m
4
 1 9
m
4
m = ( - 1 + 9)/4 = 2 and m = (-1 – 9)/4 = - 5/2
m = { 2, - 5/2 }

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Factoring method

Factoring - The process of breaking apart of an equation into factors (or

separate terms) such that when the separate terms are multiplied
together, they produce the original equation.
For example, x2 - x - 2 = (x+1)(x-2). In this case, the equation x2 - x - 2
= 0 can be broken apart into two factors [i.e., (x+1)(x-2) = 0] such that
when these two separate terms (i.e., factors) are multiplied together, the
result is the original equation.

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Example:
(x - r1)(x - r2) = 0 = x2 + bx + c
where r1 and r2 are the roots, or solutions, of the
quadratic equation
For example:
Roots: -5, +2
(x+5)(x - 2) = ?
(x+5)(x - 2) = x2 -2x + 5x - 10
x2 -2x + 5x - 10 = x2 + 3x - 10

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 Using the Graphs
Use the graph below to solve the quadratic equation .x2+x-2=0

SOLUTION:

Since we are given the graph of y  x 2  x  2 and we are asked to solve

x 2  x  2  0 , we need to look for any places on the graph where y  0 , i.e.,
we need to find the x-intercepts of the graph. Since the x-intercepts are ( 2, 0)
and (1, 0) , we can conclude that the solutions are x  2 or x 1 , so the
solution set is   2, 1 .

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Thank you

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