Problem-Solving with Quadratic Equations

Non-Calculator Worksheet
1. The width of a rectangle is xcm. The length is 3cm longer than the width. The area of the
2
rectangle is 270cm .
2
a. Show that x + 3x – 270 = 0

b. Hence, work out the dimensions of the rectangle.

2. The diagram shows a right-angled triangle. All measurements are in centimetres.

15
not to scale
x

x+3
2
a. Show that x + 3x – 108 = 0

b. Work out the length of the shortest side of the triangle.

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 Problem-Solving with Quadratic Equations
Non-Calculator Worksheet

3. The difference between two positive integers is 7 and their product is 198. Use algebra to
work out each integer.

2
4. The diagram shows a rectangle with an area of 60cm .
Use algebra to find the value of x.

(x + 5)cm

(x – 2)cm not to scale

2
5. The formula h = 2 + 5t – t gives the height above the ground, h metres, of a projectile after
t seconds. Work out the times at which the projectile is at a height of 6 metres above the
ground.

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 Problem-Solving with Quadratic Equations
Non-Calculator Worksheet
6. The sum of the squares of two consecutive positive integers is 265. Use algebra to find the
two integers.

7. Two perpendicular sides in a right-angled triangle measure (x – 1)cm and (x + 7)cm

respectively. The longest side of the triangle measures 194cm. Work out the length
of the shortest side.

8. The rectangle and triangle below have equal areas. Given that all measurements are in
centimetres, work out the perimeter of the rectangle.

not to scale
(x + 7)cm (3x + 15)cm

(2x – 5)cm (x – 1)cm

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 Problem-Solving with Quadratic Equations
Non-Calculator Worksheet

9. The diagram shows a triangle. Find the value of x.

(x – 3)cm 7cm
not to scale
60°
xcm

10. A motorist drives 300km at an average speed of xkm/h. He then returns on the same road,
but travels at an average speed of 20km/h slower. The return journey took 4 hours longer
than the outward journey. Use algebra to find the time taken on the outward journey.

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 Problem-Solving with Quadratic Equations
Non-Calculator Worksheet

11. Jordan has some packets of biscuits. Each packet contains the same number of biscuits. The
number of biscuits in each packet is equal to double the number of packets plus three. He
has 1224 biscuits in total. How many biscuits are there in one packet?

12. Two quantities, a and b, are inversely proportional with a constant of proportionality of 400.
When a is a positive integer, b is two more than six times the value of a. Work out these
values of a and b.

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 Problem-Solving with Quadratic Equations
Non-Calculator Worksheet

Challenge:
A bag contains red and green counters. There are four more red counters in the bag than
green counters. The total number of counters in the bag is less than 100. The probability of
choosing two counters of the same colour is 76 . Work out the number of red counters in
153
the bag.

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Problem-Solving with Quadratic Equations Answers
Non-Calculator Worksheet
1. The width of a rectangle is xcm. The length is 3cm longer than the width. The area of the
2
rectangle is 270cm .
2
a. Show that x + 3x – 270 = 0
x(x + 3) = 270
2
x + 3x = 270
2
x + 3x – 270 = 0

b. Hence, work out the dimensions of the rectangle.

(x + 18)(x – 15) = 0
x = -18 or x = 15
The negative value of x can be disregarded, so the dimensions are 15cm and 18cm.

2. The diagram shows a right-angled triangle. All measurements are in centimetres.

15
not to scale
x

x+3
2
a. Show that x + 3x – 108 = 0
2 2 2
x + (x + 3) = 15
2 2
x + x + 6x + 9 = 225
2
2x + 6x – 216 = 0
2
x + 3x – 108 = 0

b. Work out the length of the shortest side of the triangle.

(x + 12)(x – 9) = 0
x = -12 or x = 9
The negative value of x can be disregarded, so the length of the shortest side is 9cm.

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 Problem-Solving with Quadratic Equations Answers
Non-Calculator Worksheet

3. The difference of two positive integers is 7 and their product is 198. Use algebra to work out
each integer.
Let x and y be the two integers.
y – x = 7, so y = 7 + x
198
xy = 198, so y = x
198
7+x= x
x(7 + x) = 198
2
x + 7x – 198 = 0
(x + 18)(x – 11) = 0
x = -18 or x = 11
Both values are positive so the negative value of x can be disregarded.
When x = 11, y = 7 + 11 = 18
The integers are 11 and 18.
2
4. The diagram shows a rectangle with an area of 60cm .
Use algebra to find the value of x.

x+5

x–2 not to scale

(x – 2)(x + 5) = 60
2
x + 3x – 10 = 60
2
x + 3x – 70 = 0
(x + 10)(x – 7) = 0
x = -10 or x = 7
The negative value of x can be disregarded, so x = 7.

2
5. The formula h = 2 + 5t – t gives the height above the ground, h metres, of a projectile after
t seconds. Work out the times at which the projectile is at a height of 6 metres above the
ground.
2
6 = 2 + 5t – t
2
t – 5t + 4 = 0
(t – 1)(t – 4) = 0
t = 1 and t = 4 seconds

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 Problem-Solving with Quadratic Equations Answers
Non-Calculator Worksheet

6. The sum of the squares of two consecutive positive integers is 265. Use algebra to find the
two integers.
Let x be the smaller integer, so the other integer is x + 1.
2 2
x + (x + 1) = 265
2 2
x + x + 2x + 1 = 265
2
2x + 2x – 264 = 0
2
x + x – 132 = 0
(x + 12)(x – 11) = 0
x = -12 or x = 11
The negative value of x can be disregarded, so x = 11.
The integers are 11 and 12.

7. Two perpendicular sides in a right-angled triangle measure (x – 1)cm and (x + 7)cm

respectively. The longest side of the triangle measures 194cm. Work out the length
of the shortest side.
2 2
(x – 1) + (x + 7) = 194
2 2
x – 2x + 1 + x + 14x + 49 = 194
2
2x + 12x – 144 = 0
2
x + 6x – 72 = 0
(x + 12)(x – 6) = 0
x = -12 or x = 6
The negative value of x can be disregarded, so x = 6.
6 – 1 = 5, so the length of the shortest side is 5cm.

8. The rectangle and triangle below have equal areas. Given that all measurements are in
centimetres, work out the perimeter of the rectangle.

not to scale
(x + 7)cm (3x + 15)cm

(2x – 5)cm (x – 1)cm

1
(x + 7)(2x – 5) = (x – 1)(3x + 15)
2
2 2
2(2x + 9x – 35) = 3x + 12x – 15
2 2
4x + 18x – 70 = 3x + 12x – 15
2
x + 6x – 55 = 0
(x + 11)(x – 5) = 0
x = -11 or x = 5
The negative value of x can be disregarded, so x = 5.
The perimeter of the rectangle, p, is 2(x + 7) + 2(2x – 5)
When x = 5, p = 2(5 + 7) + 2((2 × 5) – 5) = 34cm
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 Problem-Solving with Quadratic Equations Answers
Non-Calculator Worksheet
9. The diagram shows a triangle. Find the value of x.

(x – 3)cm 7cm
not to scale
60°
xcm

a2 = b2 + c2 – 2bccosA
2 2 2
7 = x + (x – 3) – 2x(x – 3)cos(60°)
2 2 2 1
49 = x + x – 6x + 9 – 2(x – 3x) × 2
2 2
49 = 2x – 6x + 9 – x + 3x
2
x – 3x – 40 = 0

(x + 5)(x – 8) = 0

x = -5 or x = 8

The negative value of x can be disregarded, so x = 8.

10. A motorist drives 300km at an average speed of xkm/h. He then returns on the same road,
but travels at an average speed of 20km/h slower. The return journey took 4 hours longer
than the outward journey. Use algebra to find the time taken on the outward journey.
d
t= s
300
t1 = x
300
t2 = x − 20
300 300
x + 4 = x − 20
300 + 4x 300
= x − 20
x
(300 + 4x)(x – 20) = 300x
2
4x + 220x – 6000 = 300x
2
4x – 80x – 6000 = 0
2
x – 20x – 1500 = 0

(x + 30)(x – 50) = 0

x = -30 or x = 50

The negative value of x can be disregarded, so x = 50

300
t1 = 50 = 6 hours

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 Problem-Solving with Quadratic Equations Answers
Non-Calculator Worksheet

11. Jordan has some packets of biscuits. Each packet contains the same number of biscuits. The
number of biscuits in each packet is equal to double the number of packets plus three. He
has 1224 biscuits in total. How many biscuits are there in one packet?

Let p be the number of packets, so the number of biscuits in each packet is 2p + 3.

p(2p + 3) = 1224
2
2p + 3p – 1224 = 0

(2p + 51)(p – 24) = 0

51
p=- or p = 24
2
The negative value of p can be disregarded, so p = 24

When p = 24, the number of biscuits in each packet = 2 × 24 + 3 = 51

12. Two quantities, a and b, are inversely proportional with a constant of proportionality of 400.
When a is a positive integer, b is two more than six times the value of a. Work out these
values of a and b.

400
a= b

b = 6a + 2
400
a = 6a − 2

a(6a + 2) = 400
2
6a + 2a – 400 = 0
2
3a + a – 200 = 0

(3a + 25)(a – 8) = 0
25
a=- or a = 8
3
The negative value of a can be disregarded, so a = 8.

a = 8 and b = 6 × 8 + 2 = 50

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 Problem-Solving with Quadratic Equations Answers
Non-Calculator Worksheet
Challenge:
A bag contains red and green counters. There are four more red counters in the bag than
green counters. The total number of counters in the bag is less than 100. The probability of
choosing two counters of the same colour is 76 . Work out the number of red counters in
153
the bag.

Let x be the number of green counters in the bag, so the number of red
counters is x + 4 and the total number of counters in the bag is 2x + 4.

2x + 4 < 100

2x < 96

x < 48
x x–1 x+4 x+3 76
2x + 4 × 2x + 3 + 2x + 4 × 2x + 3 = 153

x2 – x x2 + 7x + 12 76
+ 2 = 153
4x + 14x + 12 4x + 14x + 12
2

2
2x + 6x + 12 76
=
4x + 14x + 12 153
2

x2+ 3x + 6 76
=
2x2 + 7x + 6 153

2 2
153(x + 3x + 6) = 76(2x + 7x + 6)
2 2
153x + 459x + 918 = 152x + 532x + 456
2
x – 73x + 462 = 0

(x – 7)(x – 66) = 0

x = 7 or x = 66

x < 48, so x = 7

When x = 7, the number of red counters in the bag = 7 + 4 = 11

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