Tracking C

Solving Quadratics
Learning objective:
- to plot quadratic functions (grade C) and
to factorise quadratic expressions (grade B)
to solve quadratic equations (grade A)
Key words: plot, quadratic, function, factorise, expression, solve, equation

Challenge:

Can you factorise the expressions on your challenge sheet?

 Satellite Dish
y = ax 2
h e P a r a b o la
T
Path of a Moving Object

Single
Focus

Receiver Transmitter
A Parabolic device has a single focus.
This enables radiation to be received and
Radio Telescope amplified or transmitted and amplified. Torch Reflector
 y
10
9

8 y = x2
7
6
5

4 y = x2 - 5
3
2
1

-10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 x
-1 y = x2 + 1
-2
-3
-4

-5
-6
-7

-8
-9
-10
 y
20
19

18
y = x2
17
16

15
14
y = 2x2
13
12

11
10
9 y = 3x2
8
7
6 As the coefficient of x2
5 becomes larger, the curve
4 becomes compressed in the
3 x direction towards the y
2 axis .
1

-10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
x
 y
10
9

8 y = x2
7
6
y = ½x2
5

4
3 y = ¼x2
2
1

-10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 x
-1

-2
-3 As the the coefficient of x
-4
becomes smaller, the curve
-5
opens up. It is stretched in
-6
the x direction away from
-7

-8
the y axis.
-9
-10
 8 y
Equation Drawing quadratic graphs of the form
7
LoS y = ax2 + bx + c
of Line of
6
symmetry
5 is x = 1
Example 1.
4

3 y = x2 - 2x - 8
2

1 x
x -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5
-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 x2 9 4 1 0 1 4 9 16 25
-1
-2x 6 2 0 -2 -6 -8
4 -4 -10
-2

-3 -8 -8 -8 -8 -8 -8 -8 -8 -8 -8
-4 y 7 0 -5 -8 -9 -8 -5 0 7
-5

-6
Minimum point
-7

-8
at (1, -9)

-9
 8 y
Drawing quadratic graphs of the form
7
y = ax2 + bx + c
6

5
What are the solutions to:
4

3 x2 - 2x – 8 = 0
2

1 x ie. Where does it cross the x axis?

-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5
x = -2 and x = 4
-1

-2
We can also factorise to find this:
-3 (x + 2) ( x – 4) = 0
-4
So x = -2 and x = 4
-5

-6

-7

-8

-9
 y y

y = -x2 - 5x - 2

A negative x2
term inverts
the curve.

0 x
0
x

y = -x2 + 2x + 8
 8 y
7
Example question
6
(a) Draw the graph of y = x2 - 4x - 5
5

4 (b) Write down the co-ordinates of the

minimum point.
3
(c) Write down the equation of the line
2
of symmetry.
1 x (d) Find the value of y when x = 2½.
-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
(e) Find the values of x when y = -8.
-1

-2

-3 (a) 
-4 (b) (2, -9)
-5
(c) x=2
-6
(d) y = -8.7 (approx)
-7
(e) x = 1 and 3
-8

-9
 Can you solve these quadratic equations?
(either by plotting a graph or factorising)
1) x2 + 5x + 4 = 0

2) x2 – 4x + 3 = 0

3) x2 + 9x + 8 = 0

4) 2x2 + 3x + 1 = 0