MCR 3U – Unit 2: Rationals and Radicals Date: _________________ 2.

LESSON 2.8: Solving Linear-Quadratic & Linear-Circular Systems

Learning Goal(s) Covered C [OLG1] P1 [OLG5] : P1.1 / P1.3 / P1.4

Recall:
• We studied linear systems in Grade 10. We will now examine linear-quadratic and linear-circular
systems. We can solve these graphically or using substitution (*preferred).
• The solution(s) to the system is/are where a line and a parabola meet, or where a line
and a circle meet (the point(s) of intersection).
• Terminology: SECANT – a line that intersects a curve at 2 (or more) distinct points
TANGENT – a line that intersects a curve at 1 point and has the slope of the curve at that point

We can have three types of solutions:

The Discriminant for Systems of Equations

• The discriminant can also be used to determine the number of solutions to a system of equations.
• Substitute one equation into the other, rearrange so that one side is equal to zero, and substitute
the simplified equation into the discriminant.
• Use the same rules to determine how many solutions there are.

Example 1: Algebraically determine the number of solutions to the system of equations.

𝑦 = 3𝑥 + 5
𝑦 = 3𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 − 4
MCR 3U – Unit 2: Rationals and Radicals Date: _________________ 2.8

Example 2: Solve.
a) 𝑦 = 2𝑥 − 12
𝑦 = 2𝑥 2 − 16𝑥 + 24

b) 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 = 25
𝑥=6
MCR 3U – Unit 2: Rationals and Radicals Date: _________________ 2.8

Example 3: If a line, with a slope of 4, has one point of intersection with the quadratic function
1
𝑦 = 𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 − 8, what is the y-intercept of the line?
2
(Write the equation of the line in slope-intercept form)

Example 4:
A company that is about to start operations expects that the cost, C, in thousands of dollars, to
produce x items per day will be given by the function 𝐶(𝑥) = 100𝑥 + 200. The company also expects
that the revenue function for x items per day will be given by 𝑅(𝑥) = 5𝑥 2 + 80𝑥, where R is revenue, in
thousands of dollars. After how many items produced per day can the company expect to break
even? (Hint: The break-even point is where a company’s cost and revenue are the same.)