Senior Secondary Oxford Mathematics for the New Century 4A 3 Quadratic Equations in One Unknown

Name: __________________________ Class: __________( )

Lesson Worksheet 3.1 (Intensive)

(Refer to Book 4A P.3.3)

Solving Quadratic Equations by Factor Method

General Form of Quadratic Equations

An equation in unknown x written in the form ax2 + bx + c = 0 is called a quadratic equation in the
general form, where a, b, c are real numbers with a  0.

Example 1 Level 0
Rewrite each of the following equations in the general form ax2 + bx + c = 0 (where a > 0).
Then write down the values of a, b and c.
(a) 2x2 – 4x = 5 (b) 3x2 = 10

Solution
(a) 2x2 – 4x = 5 (b) 3x2 = 10
2x2  4x  5 = 0 3x2 + 0x  10 = 0
2x – 4x  5 = 0
2
3x  10 = 0
2
a b c a b c
a = 2, b = 4, c = ‒5 a = 3, b = 0, c = 10

Rewrite each of the following equations in the general form ax2 + bx + c = 0 (where a > 0).
Then write down the values of a, b and c.
Instant Drill 1.1 Instant Drill 1.2
(a) 3x2 – 5x = 4 (a) 5x2 = 9  8x
(b) 7 = 2x2 (b) 10  12x = 9x2

Solution Solution
2
(a) 3x – 5x = 4
_________________ = 0
a= ,b= ,c= 1

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Senior Secondary Oxford Mathematics for the New Century 4A 3 Quadratic Equations in One Unknown

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Senior Secondary Oxford Mathematics for the New Century 4A 3 Quadratic Equations in One Unknown

Roots of Quadratic Equations

If a certain value of x satisfies the quadratic equation ax2 + bx + c = 0,
then the value is called a root (or solution) of the quadratic equation.
Note: x is the unknown and a, b, c are real numbers with a  0.

Example 2 Level 0
Determine whether each of the following values of x is a root of the equation x2 + 3x ‒ 4 = 0.
(a) x = 1 (b) x = ‒2 (c) x = 4

Solution
(a) Put x = 1 into the L.H.S. of the equation. (b) Put x = ‒2 into the L.H.S. of the equation.

L.H.S. = 12 + 3(1) ‒ 4 L.H.S. = (‒2)2 + 3(‒2) ‒ 4

=0 = 6

= R.H.S.  R.H.S.

∴ 1 is a root of the equation. ∴ ‒2 is not a root of the equation.

(c) Put x = 4 into the L.H.S. of the equation.

L.H.S. = (‒4)2 + 3(‒4) ‒ 4

=0
A quadratic equation may
= R.H.S.
have more than 1 root.
∴ 4 is a root of the equation.

Instant Drill 2.1 Instant Drill 2.2

Determine whether each of the following values Determine whether each of the following values
2
of x is a root of the equation 3x + 7x + 4 = 0. of x is a root of the equation 2x2 + 5x  3 = 0.
(a) x = 2 (a) x = ‒3
(b) x = 1 (b) x = ‒0.5

Solution Solution
(a) Put x = ____ into the L.H.S. of the equation.
L.H.S. = 3( )2 + 7( )+4
=

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Senior Secondary Oxford Mathematics for the New Century 4A 3 Quadratic Equations in One Unknown

Factor Method
If a quadratic equation is written in the form (px + q)(rx + s) = 0, then
px + q = 0 or rx + s = 0.

Example 3 Level 1
Solve the equation x2 ‒ 7x = 0.

Solution
x2 – 7x = 0
x(x – 7) = 0  Factorize x2 ‒ 7x first.
x=0 or x–7=0
x=7  0 and 7 are the roots of the equation x2 ‒ 7x = 0.

Instant Drill 3.1 Instant Drill 3.2

Solve the equation x2 – 15x = 0. Solve the equation 3x2 + 6x = 0.

Solution Solution

x2 ‒ 15x = 0

x( )=0

x= or __________

 Exercise 3A (P.3.8) 7, 8|

Example 4 Level 1
Solve the equation x2 – 49 = 0.

Solution
x2  49 = 0
x2  72 = 0  Factorize x2 ‒ 49 using a2  b2  (a + b)(a  b).
(x + 7)(x  7) = 0
x+7=0 or x7=0
x = ‒7 or x=7 Alternative:
x2  49 = 0
x2 = 49
x = 7 or ‒7

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Senior Secondary Oxford Mathematics for the New Century 4A 3 Quadratic Equations in One Unknown

Instant Drill 4.1 Instant Drill 4.2

Solve the equation x2 – 100 = 0. Solve the equation 36x2 ‒ 49 = 0.

Solution Solution

x2  100 = 0

x2  (___)2 = 0

(x + ___)(x  ___) = 0

 Exercise 3A (P.3.8) 9‒12|

Example 5 Level 1
Solve the following equations.
(a) x2 + 6x + 5 = 0
(b) 2x2 – 5x – 3 = 0

Solution

Factorize x2 + 6x + 5 using
the cross-method:
x +1
x +5
+x +5x =
+6x

2x +1
x 3
+x 6x = 5x

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Senior Secondary Oxford Mathematics for the New Century 4A 3 Quadratic Equations in One Unknown

Instant Drill 5.1

Solve the following equations.
(a) x2 + 4x + 3 = 0
(b) 2x2 + 3x – 5 = 0

Solution
(a) x2 + 4x + 3 = 0 (b) 2x2 + 3x – 5 = 0

(________)(________) = 0 (________)(________) = 0

Instant Drill 5.2

Solve the following equations.
(a) x2 ‒ 5x + 4 = 0
(b) 3x2 ‒ 7x – 6 = 0

Solution

© Oxford University Press 2023 P.6 4A03 Lesson Worksheets 3.1 (Intensive)
Senior Secondary Oxford Mathematics for the New Century 4A 3 Quadratic Equations in One Unknown

 Exercise 3A (P.3.8) 1317|

© Oxford University Press 2023 P.7 4A03 Lesson Worksheets 3.1 (Intensive)
Senior Secondary Oxford Mathematics for the New Century 4A 3 Quadratic Equations in One Unknown

Example 6 Level 1
Solve the equation x2 = 16x ‒ 64.

Solution
x2 = 16x  64  Express the equation in the general form ax2 + bx + c = 0 first.
x2  16x + 64 = 0
x2  2(x)(8) + 82 = 0
(x  8)2 = 0  Factorize x2  16x + 64 using a2  2ab + b2  (a  b)2.
x  8 = 0 or x  8 = 0
x = 8 (repeated)  x  8 = 0 or x  8 = 0
x = 8 or x=8
Since the two roots are equal, we say that the two roots are ‘repeated’.

Instant Drill 6.1

Solve the following equations.
(a) x2 + 12x + 36 = 0 (b) x2 = 20x ‒ 100

Solution
(a) x2 + 12x + 36 = 0 (b) x2 = 20x ‒ 100

(__)2 + 2(__)(__) + (__)2 = 0 ________________ = 0

Instant Drill 6.2

Solve the following equations.
(a) x2 + 18x = ‒81 (b) 25x2 + 1 = 10x

Solution

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 Senior Secondary Oxford Mathematics for the New Century 4A 3 Quadratic Equations in One Unknown

 Exercise 3A (P.3.8) 20–22|


Exam-type
Example 7 Level 2
Solve the following equations.
(a) (x + 5)(x + 2) = ‒2
(b) (u + 1)(u – 2) = 5(u – 2)  We may use other letters as the unknown.

Solution
(a) (x + 5)(x + 2) = 2 Do’s and Don’ts

x + 7x + 10 = 2
2 (x + 5)(x + 2) = 2
x + 5 = 2 or x + 2 = 2
x2 + 7x + 12 = 0
(x + 3)(x + 4) = 0 x +3
x +4
x+3=0 or x+4=0
+3x +4x = +7x
x = 3 or x = 4

(b) (u + 1)(u – 2) = 5(u – 2) Do’s and Don’ts

Do not cancel u – 2 on both sides of the equation.
(u + 1)(u – 2) – 5(u – 2) = 0
(u + 1)(u – 2) = 5(u – 2)
(u – 2)(u + 1 – 5) = 0
u+1 =5
(u – 2)(u – 4) = 0 u=4
u–2=0 or u–4=0
u=2 or u=4

Instant Drill 7.1

Solve the equation (x + 3)(x + 9) = –5.

Solution
(x + 3)(x + 9) = –5
____________________ = ‒5
____________________ = 0

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Senior Secondary Oxford Mathematics for the New Century 4A 3 Quadratic Equations in One Unknown

Instant Drill 7.2

Solve the equation (x – 6)(x + 1) = 2(x – 6).

Solution

Instant Drill 7.3

Solve the equation (x + 9)(x + 2) = 4x + 8.

Solution

Instant Drill 7.4

Solve the equation (x – 8)(2x + 1) = 2x + 1.

Solution

© Oxford University Press 2023 P.10 4A03 Lesson Worksheets 3.1 (Intensive)
Senior Secondary Oxford Mathematics for the New Century 4A 3 Quadratic Equations in One Unknown

 Exercise 3A (P.3.8) 25–36|

© Oxford University Press 2023 P.11 4A03 Lesson Worksheets 3.1 (Intensive)
Senior Secondary Oxford Mathematics for the New Century 4A 3 Quadratic Equations in One Unknown

Calculator Tutor
When solving a quadratic equation, we can use a calculator to find the answers.

In Example 5(b) on P.4, for 2x2 ‒ 5x ‒ 3 = 0, we have x = or x = 3.

By using calculator:
Step 1: Express the equation in general form.

2x2 ‒ 5x ‒ 3 = 0
Step 2: Keying
a sequence:
b c  i.e. a = 2, b = ‒5 and c = ‒3
01
2 ‒5 ‒3
(Display: 3)  1st root

(Display: –0.5)  2nd root. Press to show the fraction form .

In Example 6 on P.6, for x2 = 16x ‒ 64, we have x = 8 (repeated).

By using calculator:
Step 1: Express the equation in general form.

Step 2: Keying sequence:

01
1x2 ‒ 16x + 64 = 0
1 ‒16 64
a b c  i.e. a = 1, b = ‒16 and c = 64
(Display: 8)  1st root

(Display: 8)  The 2nd root is also 8. That means 8 is a repeated root.

Solve the following equations with a calculator and complete the table below.
(The first one has been done for you as an example.)
Quadratic
a b c Roots
Equation
x2 + x ‒ 42 = 0 1 1 ‒42 6, ‒7

4x 2 + 5x + 1 = 0

7x2 + 28x = 0

25x2 = 9

12x ‒ 4x2 = 9

 b or c can be 0.

 Express the equation in general form first.

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 Senior Secondary Oxford Mathematics for the New Century 4A 3 Quadratic Equations in One Unknown

 Challenging Question 

Exam-type
1. Let k be a constant. Solve the equation (x ‒ k)2 = 16k2 and express the answers in terms of k.

Solution


Exam-type
2. Let k be a constant. It is given that x = 2 is one of the roots of the equation (2x + k)(3x + 1) = k – 2.
(a) Find the value of k.
(b) Find the other root of the equation.

Solution

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