Mathematics 9

Further Quadratic
equations

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 Contents

A6 Quadratic equations

• AA6.1 Solving quadratic equations by factorization

• AA6.2 Completing the square

• AA6.3 Using the quadratic formula

• AA6.4 Equations involving algebraic fractions

• AA6.5 Problems leading to quadratic equations

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 Equations involving algebraic fractions

Some equations involving algebraic fractions rearrange to

give quadratic equations. For example:
1 5
+ = 2
x x+4
The first step when solving equations involving fractions is to
multiply through by the product of the denominators.
multiply by x(x + 4): x + 4 + 5x = 2x(x + 4)
expand brackets and simplify: 6x + 4 = 2x2 + 8x
collect all terms on the r.h.s.: 0 = 2x2 + 2x – 4
divide by 2: 0 = x2 + x – 2
factorize: 0 = (x + 2)(x – 1)
x = –2 or x=1
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 Equations involving algebraic fractions

Solve 4 3
– = 1
x+2 x+8

Start by multiplying through by x + 2 and x + 8 to remove the

denominators,
4(x + 8) – 3(x + 2) = (x + 2)(x + 8)
expand the brackets: 4x + 32 – 3x – 6 = x2 + 10x + 16
simplify: x + 26 = x2 + 10x + 16
collect all terms on the r.h.s.: 0 = x2 + 9x – 10
factorize: 0 = (x + 10)(x – 1)
x = –10 or x=1
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 Equations involving algebraic fractions

Equations involving algebraic fractions may also lead to

quadratic equations that do not factorize. For example,
x 2
Solve, – = 3
4–x x

Multiply through by x(4 – x): x2 + 2(4 – x) = 3x(4 – x)

expand the brackets: x2 + 8 – 2x = 12x – 3x2
collect terms on the l.h.s.: 4x2 – 14x + 8 = 0
divide by 2: 2x2 – 7x + 4 = 0
This quadratic equation cannot be solved by factorization so
we have to solve it using the quadratic formula.

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 Equations involving algebraic fractions

Using the quadratic formula to solve 2x2 – 7x + 4 = 0

–b ± √b2 – 4ac
x=
2a
7 ± √72 – (4 × 2 × 4)
x=
2×2
7 ± √49 – 32
x=
4
7 + √17 7 – √17
x= or x=
4 4
x = 2.781 x = 0.719 (to 3 d.p.)

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 Contents

A6 Quadratic equations

• AA6.1 Solving quadratic equations by factorization

• AA6.2 Completing the square

• AA6.3 Using the quadratic formula

• AA6.4 Equations involving algebraic fractions

• AA6.5 Problems leading to quadratic equations

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 Problems leading to quadratic equations

Some real-life problems can be solved using quadratic

equations.
For example, Jenny drives 24 miles to get to work. On the
way home she is caught in traffic and drives 20 miles per hour
slower than on the way there.
If her total journey time to work and back is 1 hour, what
was her average speed on the way to work?

distance
Remember, time taken =
average speed
Let Jenny’s average speed on the way to work be x.

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 Problems leading to quadratic equations

Jenny drives 24 miles to get to work. On the way home she

is caught in traffic and drives 20 miles per hour slower than
on the way there.
If her total journey time to work and back is 1 hour, what
was her average speed on the way to work?
24
Jenny’s time taken to get to work =
x
24
Jenny’s time taken to get home from work =
x – 20
24 24
Total time there and back = + =1
x x – 20
Solving this equation will give us the value of x, Jenny’s
average speed on the way to work.

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 Problems leading to quadratic equations

24 24
+ =1
x x – 20
Start by multiplying through by x(x – 20) to remove the
fractions:
24(x – 20) + 24x = x(x – 20)
expand the brackets: 24x – 480 + 24x = x2 – 20x
simplify: 48x – 480 = x2 – 20x
collect terms on the r.h.s.: 0 = x2 – 68x + 480
factorize: 0 = (x – 60)(x – 8)
We have two solutions x = 60 and x = 8.

Which of these solutions is not possible in this situation?

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 Problems leading to quadratic equations

The only solution that makes sense is x = 60 miles per hour.

If Jenny’s average speed on the way to work was 8 miles per

hour her average speed on the way home would be –12 miles
per hour, a negative number.

We can therefore ignore the second solution.

When practical problems lead to quadratic equations it is very

often the case that only one of the solution will make sense in
the context of the original problem.

This is usually because many physical quantities, such as

length, can only be positive.

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 Problems leading to quadratic equations

The lengths of the two shorter sides in a right-angled

triangle are x cm and (x – 7) cm. If the length of the
hypotenuse is (x + 1) cm, find the value of x and hence
the lengths of all three sides of the triangle.

Let’s start by drawing a diagram,

x+1
x–7

x
We can use Pythagoras’ Theorem to write an equation in
terms of x.

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 Problems leading to quadratic equations

The lengths of the two shorter sides in a right-angled

triangle are x cm and (x – 7) cm. If the length of the
hypotenuse is (x + 1) cm, find the value of x and hence
the lengths of all three sides of the triangle.

x2 + (x – 7)2 = (x + 1)2
x2 + (x – 7)(x – 7) = (x + 1)(x + 1)
expand: x2 + x2 – 7x – 7x + 49 = x2 + x + x + 1
simplify: 2x2 – 14x + 49 = x2 + 2x + 1
collect on the l.h.s.: x2 – 16x + 48 = 0
factorize: (x – 4)(x – 12) = 0
x=4 or x = 12
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 Problems leading to quadratic equations

The lengths of the two shorter sides in a right-angled

triangle are x cm and (x – 7) cm. If the length of the
hypotenuse is (x + 1) cm, find the value of x and hence
the lengths of all three sides of the triangle.
If x = 4 then the lengths of the three sides are,
4 cm, 4 – 7 = –3 cm and 4 + 1 = 5 cm
We cannot have a side of negative length and so x = 4 is not
a valid solution.
If x = 12 then the lengths of the three sides are,
12 cm, 12 – 7 = 5 cm and 12 + 1 = 13 cm
So, the shorter sides are 12 cm and 5 cm and the hypotenuse
is 13 cm.

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