CHAPTER 10 QUADRATIC EXPRESSIONS AND

EQUATIONS

Important concepts:
1. A Quadratic Expression is an expression in the form of ax 2  bx  c where a, b, and c are
constants with a  0 and x is a variable.

Example:
2x 2  4x  5

2. A Quadratic Equation has the general form is ax 2  bx  c  0 .

3. In a Quadratic Equation, there are rules to be fulfilled. That is:

i. The highest power of the variable is 2.

ii. Involves only one variable.

4. Finding the solutions for a quadratic equation means finding the roots of the quadratic
equation.

5. Tip SPM
(a  b) 2  (a  b)(a  b)
 a 2  2ab  b 2

(a  b) 2  (a  b)(a  b)
 a 2  2ab  b 2

a 2  b 2  (a  b)( a  b)

10.1 Quadratic Expressions

ax2 + bx +c, where a, b, c are constant, a  0 and x is a variable.

a. Identify quadratic expressions.

Example: Exercise
State whether the following expressions are quadratic
expressions.
1 i. 2y2 + 4
i. m2 – 4m + is a quadratic expression.
2

ii. 5x –3 = 2x2 is not a quadratic expression. ii. 4p2 + 2q – 3

b. Form quadratic expressions

Quadratic Expressions and Equations 1

 Example Exercise
Multiply and simplify the following expressions.
i. p( p – 3p) =
i. m(2m –3) = 2m2 – 3m

ii (r – 3)(2r +5) =
2
ii. (x–2)(2x+3) =2x – x – 6

10.2 Expansion involving brackets

10.2.1 Expansion involving one bracket

Example: Exercise:
Expand each of the following :
1. 2(2x + y) = i. 3(4b  2d ) 

2( 2 x  y )  2  2 x  2  y
= 4x  2 y

1
ii. ( 2c  5d ) 
2

2. 3a(4a–5b) = i..  4 x ( 2 y  3 x ) 

3a (4a  5b)  3a  4a  3a  5b
= 12a 2  15ab

1
ii. 12 j ( j  2k ) 
3

3.  4h( 3  5h  2 g )  i.  2m( 5  6m  4n) 

Quadratic Expressions and Equations 2

 4h( 3  5h  2 g )  4h  3  (4h)  5h  ( 4h)  2 g
= 12h  20h 2  8 gh 2
ii. 4c(3c  d  12) 
3

1 k
4. 12b(9c  b)  i. (6k  2) 
3 2

1 1
12b(9c  b)  12b  9c  12b  b
3 3

= 108bc  4b 2 3 5
ii. x (10 x  ) 
5 6

10.2.2 Expansion involving two brackets.

Example: Exercise:
Expand each of the following:

1. (a  b)(c  d )  i. ( x  y )( w  z ) 
   
 
(a  b)(c  d )  a  c  a  d  b  c  b  d
  = ac  ad  bc  bd

2. ( x  2 y )(3 x  4 y )  i. ( 2a  b)(6a  2b) 

    

( x  2 y )(3 x  4 y )  x  3 x  x  ( 4 y )  ( 2 y )  3 x  ( 2 y )  ( 4 y )
  3 5
= 3 x 2  4 xy  2 xy  8 y 2 ii. ( s  2t )(5s  t ) 
5 6
= 3 x 2  6 xy  8 y 2

3. ( 2 f  g )( f  2 g )  i. (3z  4 y )(5 z  y ) 

Quadratic Expressions and Equations 3

( 2 f  g )( f  2 g )  2 f  f  2 f  (2 g )  g  f  g  (2 g )
= 2 f 2  4 fg  fg  2 g 2
= 2 f 2  3 fg  2 g 2

ii. ( 2d  5b)(d  7b) 

10.2.3 Expand the following:

1. (a  b) 2 = i. (3 x  y ) 2 

(a  b) 2  ( a  b)(a  b)

= a 2  ab  ab  b 2
= a 2  2ab  b 2 ii. ( p  2q ) 2 

2. (h  k ) 2  i. ( s  2 z ) 2 

(h  k ) 2  (h  k )(h  k )
= h 2  hk  hk  k 2 2
1 
= h 2  2hk  k 2 ii.  c  4  
2 

10.3 Factorisation of quadratic expressions

Quadratic Expressions and Equations 4

Quadratic expressions of the form ax2 + bx + c and ax2 + bx can be factorised if we find their
highest common factors (HCF) .

10.3.1 Factorisation of Algebraic Expression

Example Exercise
Factorise the following quadratic expressions

1. 3x2 + 6 = 3 ( x2 + 2) , 3 is the i. 5x2 +10

highest common factor

1 2 1 1 2 3
2. w  w i. 2 m  m
2 2 4 4

1 2 1 1
w  w  w( w  1)
2 2 2

1 2 1
ii. 1 ab  2 b 
3 3

1 2 1 1 2 1
3. k  k i. 4 j  j
4 2 7 7
1 1 2 1
k  k
2 4 2
1 2
k k k
2
1 2 1 1 1 1
k  k  k ( k  1) k 1
4 2 2 2 2 1 1
ii. 3 p  p2 
4 2

10.4 Quadratic Equations

10.4.1 (a) Identify quadratic equation

Quadratic Expressions and Equations 5

 Example Exercise
Identify whether the following are
quadratic equations.
i. 3x2 – 4x = 5 is a quadratic equation i. 2y – 3y2 + 4 = 0
with one unknown.
The highest power is 2.

ii. x3 + 5 = 0 is not a quadratic equation. ii. 2p(p2 + 3)= 7

The highest power is 3.

(b) Write quadratic equation in general form : ax2 + bx – c = 0

Example Exercise

i. 3 – 2y = y2 i. 2y + 4 = 3y2

y2 + 2y – 3 =0

ii. (x – 2) 2 – 4 = 0 ii. (x + 3)(2x + 1) = 3

x2 – 4x + 4 – 4 = 0

x2 – 4x = 0

10.5 Understand the concept of roots

10.5.1 Determine the roots for quadratic equations

Example Exercise

i. (x – 3)(x + 5) = 0 i. (x + 4)(x –1) =0

x – 3 = 0 or x + 5 =0

x = 3 or x = –5

ii. (2p – 5)(p +2) = 0 ii. (5m – 2)(3m + 1) = 0

2p –5 = 0 or p+2=0

2
P= or p = – 2
5
k2 8 x2  6
iii. k iii. x
7 5
k2 – 8 = 7k
k2 –7k – 8 = 0

Quadratic Expressions and Equations 6

 (k – 8)((k + 1) = 0
k – 8 = 0 or k + 1 = 0
k = 8 or k = –1

iv. f2 + 15 = f p2  4
8 iv. p
5
f2 + 15 = 8f
f2 – 8f + 15 =0
(f – 3)(f – 5) =0
f – 3 = 0 or f – 5 = 0
f = 3 or f = 5

v. (f –1)(f –2) –6 = 0 v. (p – 3)(p – 2) – 12 =0

f2 – 2f –1f + 2 – 6 =0
f2 –3f – 4 = 0
(f – 4)( f + 1) = 0
f – 4 = 0 or f + 1 =0
f = 4 or f = –1

vi. (y – 7)2 – 52 =0 vi. (p – 3)2 – 25 = 0

(y –7)(y – 7) – 25= 0
y2 –7y –7y + 49 –25 =0
y2 –14y +24 = 0
(y – 2)(y – 12) = 0
y = 2 or y = 12

10.6 Questions based on examination format

1. ( 2 y  1)(3 y  4) 

A ( 6 y 2  8 y  4) C (6 y 2  5 y  4)
B (6 y 2  5 y  4) D (5 y 2  6 y  4)

2
1 
2. Expand  p  1 .
4 

1 2 1 2 1
A p  p 1 C p  p 1
16 4 2
1 2 1 2 1
B p  p 1 D p  p 1
4 16 16
1 2 1
3. Factorise k  k.
5 10
1  1 1  2 1 
A k k   C k  k
5  2 10  10 

Quadratic Expressions and Equations 7

 1
B k  2k  1 D
10
1  1  1 
 k  k  k  k 
10  2  2 

4. Given f ( x)  (2 x  1) 2  9 . Find the roots when f ( x)  5 .

1 3
` A and  C 2 and -3
2 2
1 3
B  and D -2 and 3
2 2

5. Find the roots of ( w  3)( w  1)  45  0 .

A –6 and 8 C –3 and 16
B 6 and –8 D 3 and –16

6. The diagram shows a triangle.

(x-5)

The area of the triangle is 7 units. The height of the triangle is

A 2 units C 7 units
B –2 units D –7 units

7. Given x2 + x = 6, find the values of x.

A 6 atau –1 C 2 atau –3
B –6 atau 1 D –2 atau 3

8. Given (m  2)(m  3)  12  0 , find the values of m.

A –1 and 6 C –2 and –3
B 1 and -6 D 2 and 3

9. Given r 2  4r  3  2(r  1) , find the values of r.

A –5 and -3 C –5 and –1
B 5 and 3 D 5 and 1

Quadratic Expressions and Equations 8

 10. The figure shows a rectangle.

(K + 5) cm

K cm

Given that total area of the rectangle is 24 cm 2 . Find the length of the rectangle.

A –3 cm C –8 cm
B 3 cm D 8 cm

11. ( p  3q ) 2  5 pq 
A p 2  pq  9q 2 C p 2  11 pq  9q 2
B p 2  8 pq  9q 2 D p 2  5 pq  9q 2

x3 4
12. Given = , the values of x are
2 x4
5
A. 5 or 4 C. or 4
4
C. –5 or 4 D. –5 or – 4

13. Find the values of x if (2x + 1)(x-6) =0

1 1
A. atau 6 C. – atau 6
2 2
1
B. –1 atau 6 D. atau 6
2
14. . Given that a 2  a  12  (a  b)(a  c) . Find the value b and c.
A b = 1, c = –12 C b = 3, c = - 4
B b = 1, c = 12 D b = -3, c = 4

15. Factorise 10 x 2  x  2 .

A (10 x  1)( x  2) C ( x  1)(10 x  2)

B (5 x  2)( x  1) D (5 x  2)( x  1)
2m 2  5
16. Find the values of m such that  1.
9m
1
A  and 5 C  1 and 5
2
1
B and  5 D 1 and  5
2
17. Find the values of x such that 3 x ( x  4)  15 .

A –5 and 1 C –5 and –11

B 5 and –1 D 5 and 11
5
18. The roots of  x  2 are
x2

Quadratic Expressions and Equations 9

 A 2 and –2 C 4 and – 4
B 3 and –3 D 5 and –5

19. Fatorise 48 f 2  88 f  32 .

A (6 f 2  11 f  4) C 8(6 f 2  11 f  4)
B (6 f 2  11 f  4) D 8(6 f 2  11 f  4)

22
20. Find the values of u which satisfy u (3u  )  1.
5
17 1 5
A 1 and  C and 
15 5 3
17 1 5
B -1 and  D  and
15 5 3

10.7 Past Year SPM Questions

1. (3 p  m)( p  2m) 
A 3 p 2  5 pm  2m 2 C 3 p 2  7 pm  2m 2
B 3 p 2  5 pm  2m 2 D 3 p 2  7 pm  2m 2

2. (3 – 4x)(2 + x) + 3(x – 5) =
A - 3x2 + 3x – 5 C - 4x2 – 3x + 1
B - 4x2 – 2x – 9 D - 8x2 + 6x – 15

3. 3 x ( x  2 y )  (3 x  y ) 2 
A  6 xy  y 2 C  6 x 2  6 xy  y 2
B  6x 2  y 2 D  3 x 2  9 xy  y 2

4. (3h  4)(2h  5) 
A 6h 2  7 h  20 C 6h 2  23h  20
B 6h 2  7 h  20 D 6h 2  23h  20

Quadratic Expressions and Equations 10