S.

4 Mathematics Past Paper REVIEW on Quadratic Equations

1. [90 -I-6]
In Figure 2, the curve y = x 2 + px + q cuts the x-axis at the two points
A( ,0) and B(  ,0) . M (-2, 0) is the mid-point of AB.
(a) Express  +  in terms of p.
Hence find the value of p.
(b) If  2 +  2 = 26 , find the value of q. (6)

2. [91- I – 6]
The curved y = x 2 − 6 x + 5 meets the y-axis at A and the x-axis at B
and C as shown in Figure 2.
(a) Find the coordinates of A, B and C.
(b) The line y = x+5 passes through A and meets the curve
again at D. Find the coordinates of D. (6)

3. [91- I – 7]
Let  and  be the roots of the equation 10 x 2 + 20 x + 1 = 0 . Without solving the equation, find the
values of

(a) 4  4  , (b)* log10  + log10 

(6)
4. [92 – I – 6]
Find the range of values of k so that the quadratic equation x 2 + 2kx + (k + 6) = 0 has two distinct real
roots.
(6)

5. [92 – I – 9]
Figure 3 shows the graph of y = 2 x 2 − 4 x + 3 ,where x  0 . P(a, b)
is a variable point on the graph. A rectangle OAPB is drawn with A
and B lying on the x- and y-axes respectively.
(a) (i) Find the area of rectangle OAPB in terms of a.
(ii) Find the two values of a for which OAPB is a square.
(6)

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S.4 Mathematics Past Paper REVIEW on Quadratic Equations
6. [93 – I – 6]
The length  and the breadth  of a rectangular photograph are
the roots of the equation 2 x 2 − mx + 500 = 0 . The photograph is
mounted on a piece of rectangular cardboard, leaving a uniform
border of width 2 as shown in Figure 4.
(a) Find the area of the photograph.
(b) Find, in terms of m,
(i) the perimeter of the photograph,
(ii) the area of the border. (7)

7. [94 – I – 8]
In Figure 3, the curve y = x 2 + bx + c meets the y-axis at (0, 6) and the
x-axis at A(  , 0) and B(  , 0), where  >  .
(a) Find c and hence find the value of   .
(b) Express  +  in terms of b.
(c) Using the results in (a) and (b), express (  -  )2 in terms of b. Hence
find the area of ABC in terms of b.
(7)

8. [95 – I – 8]
In Figure 3, the line y = k ( k > 0 ) cuts the curve y = x – 3x – 4
at the points A(  , k) and B(  , k ).
(a) (i) Find the value of  +  .
(ii) Express   in terms of k.
(b) If the line AB cuts the y-axis at P and BP = 2 PA ,
find the value of k. (7)

9. [97 – I – 8]
The roots of the equation 2 x 2 − 7 x + 4 = 0 are  and  .
(a) Write down the values of  +  and  .
(b) Find the quadratic equation whose roots are  + 2 and  + 2 . (6)

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S.4 Mathematics Past Paper REVIEW on Quadratic Equations
10. [97 – I – 13]
Miss Lee makes and sells handmade leather belts and handbags. She finds that if a batch of x belts is
made, where 1  x  11 , the cost per belt $B is given by B = x − 20 x + 120 .
2
Page 8 shows the graph
of the function y = x 2 − 20 x + 120 .
(a) Use the given graph to write down the number(s) of belts in a batch that will make
the cost per belt (i) a minimum, (ii) less than $90.
(3)
(b) Miss Lee also finds that if a batch of x handbags is made, where 1  x  8 , the cost per handbag $H
is given by H = x 2 − 17 x + c (c is a constant). When a batch of 3 handbags is made, the cost per
handbag is $144.
(i) Find c.
(ii) By adding a suitable straight line on the given graph, find the number of handbags in a batch
that will make the cost per handbag $120.
(iii) Miss Lee made a batch of 10 belts and a batch of 6 handbags. She managed to sell 6 belts at
$100 each and 4 handbags at $300 each while the remaining belts and handbags sold at half
of their respective cost. Find her gain or loss. (9)

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S.4 Mathematics Past Paper REVIEW on Quadratic Equations
11. [99 – I – 7]
The graph of y = x 2 − x − 6 cuts the x-axis at A(a, 0), B(b, 0) and the y-axis
at C(0, c) as shown in Figure 3. Find a, b and c.
(4)

12. [00 – I – 10]

(a) Solve 10x2 + 9x - 22= 0. (2)
(b) Mr. Tung deposited $10 000 in a bank on his 25 birthday and $9 000 on his 26th birthday.
th The
interest was compounded yearly at r% p.a., and the total amount he received on his 27th birthday was
$22 000. Find r.
(4)

13. [04– I – 4]
In Figure 1, the graph of y = − x 2 + 10 x − 25 touches the x-axis at
A(a, 0) and cuts the y-axis at B(0, b). Find a and b.
(3)

14. [07– I – 5]
Let k be a constant. If the quadratic equation x 2 + 14 x + k = 0 has no real roots, find the range of
values of k.
(4)

15. [08– I – 11]

Consider the function f ( x) = x 2 + bx − 15 , where b is a constant. It is given that the graph of
y = f (x) passes through the point (4, 9).
(a) Find b. Hence, or otherwise, find the two x-intercepts of the graph of y = f (x) .
(b) Let k be a constant. If the equation of f ( x) = k has two distinct real roots, find the range of
values of k.
(c) Write down the equation of a straight line which intersects the graph of y = f (x) at only one
point.
(8)

16. [09– I – 12]

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S.4 Mathematics Past Paper REVIEW on Quadratic Equations
In Figure 3, R is the vertex of the graph of y = −2( x − 11) + 23 .
2

(a) Write down

(i) the axis of symmetry
(ii) the coordinates of R.
(2)

(b) It is given that P (p, 5) and Q (q, 5) are two distinct

points lying on the graph. Find
(i) the distance between P and Q;
(ii) the area of the quadrilateral PRQS, where S is a point lying on the axis.
(7)

17. [10– I – 16]

1 1 2
Let f ( x) = x− x −6.
2 144
(a) (i) Using the method of completing the square, find the coordinates of the vertex
of the graph of y = f (x) .
(ii) * If the graph of y = g (x) is obtained by translating the graph of y = f (x) leftwards by 4
units and upwards by 5 units, find g (x ) .
(iii)* If the graph of y = h(x) is obtained by translating the graph of y = 2 f ( x ) leftwards by 4
units and upwards by 5 units, find h(x) .
(7)

18. [12– I – 13]

(a)* Find the value of k such that x – 2 is a factor of
kx3 − 21x 2 + 24 x − 4. (2)
(b) Figure 4 show the graph of y = 15 x 2 − 63x + 72. Q is a
variable point on the graph in the first quadrant. P and R are
the feet of the perpendiculars from Q to the x-axis and the y-
axis respectively.
(i) Let (m, 0) be the coordinates of P. Express the area of
the rectangle OPQR in terms of m.
(ii)* Are there three different positions of Q such that the area
of the rectangle OPQR is 12? Explain your answer.
(5)

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S.4 Mathematics Past Paper REVIEW on Quadratic Equations
19. [13– I – 17]

(a) Let 𝑓(𝑥) = 36𝑥 − 𝑥 2 . Using the method of completing the square, find the coordinates of the
vertex of the graph of 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥).
(2)
(b) The length of a piece of string is 108m. A guard cuts the string into two pieces. One piece is used to
enclose a rectangular restricted zone of area 𝐴 m2. The other piece of length 𝑥m is used to divide
this restricted zone into two rectangular regions as shown in Figure 2.

(i) Express 𝐴 in terms of 𝑥.

(ii) The guard claims that the area of this restricted zone can
be greater than 500 m2. Do you agree? Explain your
answer.

(4)

20. [15– I – 18]

Let f(x) = 2x2 – 4kx + 3k2 + 5 , where k is a real constant.
(a) Does the graph of y = f(x) cut the x-axis? Explain your answer.
(2)
(b) Using the method of completing the square, express, in terms of k, the coordinates of the vertex of
the graph of y = f(x) .
(3)
(c)* In the same rectangular coordinate system, let S and T be moving points on the graph of y = f(x) and
the graph of y = 2 – f(x) respectively. Denote the origin by O. Someone claims that when S and
T are nearest to each other, the circumcentre of OST lies on the x-axis. Is the claim correct?
Explain your answer.
(4)
21. [16 – I -18]
−1
Let 𝑓 (𝑥 ) = 3
𝑥 2 + 12𝑥 − 121.

(a) Using the method of completing the square, find the coordinates of the vertex of the graph of
𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥).
(2)
(b)* The graph of 𝑦 = 𝑔(𝑥) is obtained by translating the graph of 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) vertically. If the
graph of 𝑦 = 𝑔(𝑥) touches the 𝑥-axis, find 𝑔(𝑥).
(6)
−1
(c) *Under a transformation, 𝑓(𝑥) is changed to 𝑥 2 − 12𝑥 − 121. Describe the geometric
3

meaning of the transformation.

(2)

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S.4 Mathematics Past Paper REVIEW on Quadratic Equations
22. [17 – I -18]
The equation of the parabola Γ is y = 2 x 2 − 2kx + 2 x − 3k + 8 , where k is a real constant. Denote the
straight line y = 19 by L.
(a) Prove that L and Γ intersect at two distinct points.
(3)
(b) The points of intersection of L and Γ are A and B.
(i) Let a and b be the x-coordinates of A and B respectively.

(a − b) = k 2 + 4k + 23 .
2
Prove that

(ii) Is it possible that the distance between A and B is less than 4?

Explain your answer.
(5)

23. [00 – I -7]

Let p( x) = 4 x 2 + 12 x + c , where c is a constant. The equation p( x) = 0 has equal roots. Find
(a) c,
(b) the x -intercept(s) of the graph of y = p( x) − 169 .
(5)

24. [20 – I -17]

Let g( x) = x 2 − 2kx + 2k 2 + 4 , where k is a real constant.
(a) Using the method of completing the square, express, in terms of k , the coordinates of the vertex
of the graph of y = g( x) .
(2)

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