Funciones lineales y cuadráticas

Las funciones lineales son de la forma f ( x) = mx + b , donde m y b son números reales.

Notemos que la gráfica de una función lineal es la gráfica de una ecuación de la forma
y = mx + b . Pero nosotros ya sabemos que la gráfica de esta ecuación es una línea recta
con pendiente m y ordenada al origen b . De ahí el nombre de función lineal.

Las funciones lineales aparecen muy frecuentemente en las aplicaciones. En particular,

las relaciones de proporcionalidad pueden ser representadas por funciones lineales. Por
ejemplo, si sabemos que la cantidad de fertilizante necesario es proporcional al área del
terreno a fertilizar, lo que decimos podemos representarlo como f ( a) = ma , donde a es
el área del terreno a fertilizar, m es el factor de proporcionalidad, y f (a ) es la cantidad
de fertilizante necesaria, una función lineal del área.

Las funciones cuadráticas son de la forma f ( x) = ax 2 + bx + c , donde a , b , y c son

numeros reales y a �0 . De hecho, en secciones anteriores hemos considerado casos
particulares de funciones cuadráticas, como f ( x) = x 2 y f ( x ) = 1 + x 2 , cuyas gráficas
estudiamos.
{CONTINUE TO NEXT CARD}
En el estudio de funciones cuadráticas es fundamental el procedimiento de representar la
expresión cuadrática general como un cuadrado perfecto mas una constante:
c� � � b � c b �
2 2
� b
f ( x ) = ax 2 + bx + x = a �x 2 + x + �= a �
� x + � + - 2 �
� a a� � � 2 a � a 4a �
� �
2
� b � � b �
2
= a �x + �+ � c- �
� 2 a � � 4a �
De esta forma podemos ver que cuando x = -b /(2a ) , la función asume un valor máximo
(si a < 0 ) igual a x = c - b 2 /(4a ) , o un valor mínimo (si a > 0 ) igual a x = c - b 2 /(4a) .

De hecho, si igualamos a cero y despejamos a x , podemos encontrar la clásica fórmula

para encontrar la soluciones de una ecuación cuadrática:
-b � b 2 - 4ac
x= .
2a
Problems in Agriculture Involving Quadratic Equations

The general form of the quadratic equations is given below:

y = ax2 + bx + c = 0 (1a)

A special case of the quadratic formula is when y is equal to zero:

ax2 + bx + c = 0 (1b)

Equation 1b can be solved by means of the quadratic formula:

x = [-b ± (b2 – 4ac)1/2] / 2a (2)

Equation 2 has two solutions known as the roots. The roots of the equation are
nothing more than the values of x when y equals zero.

Many important problems in agriculture can be solved using the quadratic

equations. In this module we will explore problems related to pumping irrigation water,
the design of tractor engines and the shape of grain mounds.
Example problem 1: Irrigation Pumps

Suppose a pump is run at a certain speed (RPM1) and will produce a pressure P1.
The abreviation RPM stands for revolutions per minute and H stands for pressure. If the
speed of this pump is changed to RPM2 it is possible to calculate the new pressure P2.
Equation 3 can be used to calculate the new pressure:

P1/P2 = (RPM1/RPM2)2 (3)

You may think that equation 3 does not look very much like equation 1, however,
lets change a few things around to help you see that it is a quadratic equation: let x =
(RPM1/RPM2), a = 1, b = 0 and c = 0. Now set RPM1 = 0 then P1 = 0 (as will P1/P2).
Finally, ax2 + bx + c = 0 becomes x2 = 0, which is a simple quadratic equation. Let’s
apply equation 3 to a real-world problem.

Suppose you have a pump connected to an irrigation system. The original motor
used to supply power to the pump ran at 1800 rpm and produced a pressure of 25 pounds
per square inch (psi). If the new motor runs at 2200 rpm, what would be the new
pressure produced by the pump?

RPM1 = 1800 rpm

RPM2 = 2200 rpm
P1 = 25 psi
P2 = ?

P2 = P1/(RPM1/RPM2)2 = 25 psi / (1800 rpm/2200 rpm)2 = 37.35 psi

So the new pump will have a pressure of 37.35 psi.

{CONTINUE TO NEXT CARD}
If the farmer did not know what the speed of the new motor was he or she could construct
a graph from equation 3 as shown below:

80

60


P 2 RPM 2  40

20

0
1000 1500 2000 2500 3000
.
RPM 2
Problems:

1. If a pump with a speed of 3600 rpm and a pressure of 50 psi is modified so that
the new speed is 2600 rpm, what will the new pressure be?
a. 28 psi
b. 38.2 psi
c. 26.1 psi
d. 15.5 psi

2. If a pump with a speed of 3600 rpm and a pressure of 50 psi is modified so that
the new pressure is 20 psi, what will the new speed have to be?
a. 2280 rpm
b. 3370 rmp
c. 2200 rpm
d. 1800 rpm

3. Using the Quadratic formula (equation 2), what are the roots of equation 3?
a. ± 5
b. 7.3, -8.2
c. ± 0
d. ± 1
Example No. 2: Piston Displacement

The displacement of a piston in the engine of a tractor is described by a quadratic

equation. The equation describing piston displacement is given below:

PD = (π Dia2S) / 4 (4)

Where PD = Piston displacement (cubic inches), Dia = bore of cylinder (piston

diameter in inches), S = stroke of piston (inches) and π = 3.14.

In this case we can modify the variables in equation 1 as follows: a = (π S)/ 4, x =

Dia, b = 0 and c = 0. So equation 1 becomes ax2 = 0 which is a form of the quadratic
equation.

Suppose that the diameter of the piston Dia = 3.5 inches, the stroke of the piston is
4 inches, what is the piston displacement?

PD = (π • 3.52 • 4) / 4 = 38.5 cubic inches (or 631 cubic centimeters)

Problems

1. What is the piston displacement for a motorcycle if the Dia = 4 inches and the
stroke is 4 inches? (hint: be sure to use english units in the equation, then convert
the cubic inches to cubic centimeters).
a. 750 cm3
b. 900 cm3
c. 1000 cm3
d. 1200 cm3

2. If a tractor has a 700 cubic inch piston displacement and a stroke of 5 inches,
what is the diamieter (Dia) of the bore?
a. 2.1 inch
b. 2.5 inch
c. 3.3 inch
d. 4.1 inch

3. Using the quadratic formula what are the roots of equation 4?

a. ± 5
b. +7.3, -8.2
c. ± 1
d. ± 0
Example No. 3: Radius of a Mound of Grain

A farmer wishes to pile some grain in an area and wants to know how much space
is needed (diameter of the mound). Assume that the vertical cross section of the mound
can be described by the following quadratic equation

H = -0.1• r2 + 0•r + 20 (5)

where H is the height (ft) of the mound at radius r (ft) from the center of the mound and
the constant (20) is the maximum height of the mound in feet. Using the quadratic
formula (equation 2) determine the diameter of the mound where it contacts the ground.

Using equation 2:

x = [-0 ± (02 – 4•-0.1•20)1/2] / 2•(-0.1)

x = r = ± 14.142 ft

So the diameter is 2r = 28.28 ft.

The following graph show the shape of the grain mound.

20

15

10

H ( r)

5
20 10 0 10 20 .
r

Using equation 5 determine the height of the mound 5 feet from its center.

H = -0.1• r2 + 0•r + 20 = -0.1• (5)2 + 0•r + 20 = 17.5 ft

So the height of the mound 5 ft from its center is 17.5 ft.
Problems

1. What is the height of the mound 7 ft from the center?

a. 17.3 ft
b. 15.1 ft
c. 11.1 ft
d. 10.0 ft

2. What would the maximum height of a mound be if the roots of the equation
were ± 10? (hint: set H = 0 and solve for the constant c)
a. 15.1 ft
b. 12.2 ft
c. 10 ft
d. 8.6 ft

3. Using the quadratic formula, what are the roots of equation 5 if the coefficient
a = -0.2 (that is, change -0.1 to -0.2)?
a. ± 7.07
b. ± 6.06
c. ± 5.05
d. ± 8.08