Introduction

• This Chapter focuses on Quadratic Equations

• We will be looking at Drawing and Sketching

graphs of these

• We are also going to be solving them using

various methods

• As with Chapter 1, some of this material will

have been covered at GCSE level
 Quadratic Functions
Plotting Graphs

You need to be able to accurately plot

graphs of Quadratic Functions.

The general form of a Quadratic Equation

is;

y = ax2 + bx + c

Where a, b and c are constants and a ≠ 0.

This can sometimes be written as;

f(x) = ax2 + bx + c

 f(x) means ‘the function of x’

2A
 Quadratic Functions
y = x2 – 3x - 4
Plotting Graphs
x -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5

You need to be able to accurately plot x2 4 1 0 1 4 9 16 25

graphs of Quadratic Functions. 3x -6 -3 0 3 6 9 12 15
x2
-3x
10 4 0 -2 -2 0 4 10
Example
y 6 0 -4 -6 -6 -4 0 6
a) Draw the graph with equation
y = x2 – 3x – 4 for values of x from BE CAREFUL! Subtract what is in the
-2 to +5 ‘3x’ box, from the ‘x2’ box.

b) Write down the minimum value And subtract 4 at the end…

of y at this point

c) Label the line of symmetry

2A
 Quadratic Functions
y = x2 – 3x - 4
Plotting Graphs
x -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5

You need to be able to accurately plot y 6 0 -4 -6 -6 -4 0 6

graphs of Quadratic Functions.
y = x2 – 3x - 4
Example
a) Draw the graph with equation
y = x2 – 3x – 4 for values of x from
-2 to +5 1.5
b) Write down the minimum value
of y -1 4
The minimum
c) Label value
the line of occurs at the x
symmetry
value halfway between 4 and -1

Substitute this value into the

equation:
y = x2 – 3x - 4
y = 1.52 – (3 x 1.5) - 4
y = -6.25
2A
 Quadratic Functions
y = x2 – 3x - 4
Plotting Graphs
x -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5

You need to be able to accurately plot y 6 0 -4 -6 -6 -4 0 6

graphs of Quadratic Functions.
x = 1.5 y = x2 – 3x - 4
Example
a) Draw the graph with equation
y = x2 – 3x – 4 for values of x from
-2 to +5
b) Write down the minimum value
of y y = -6.25

c) Label the line of symmetry

2A
 Quadratic Functions
Solving by Factorisation Example
Solve the equation…
You need to be able to solve Quadratic
Equations by factorising them. a) x2  9x
Subtract 9x
x  9x  0
2
A Quadratic Equation will have 0, 1 or 2 Factorise
solutions, known as ‘roots’ x( x  9)  0
Either ‘x’ or ‘x-9’
If there is 1 solution it is known as a must be equal to
‘repeated root’ 0
x0 x 9  0
x9

2B
 Quadratic Functions
Solving by Factorisation Example
Solve the equation…
You need to be able to solve Quadratic
Equations by factorising them. b) x 2  2 x  15  0
Factorise
A Quadratic Equation will have 0, 1 or 2 ( x  3)( x  5)  0
solutions, known as ‘roots’

If there is 1 solution it is known as a

x3 0 x 5  0
‘repeated root’
x  3 x5

2B
 Quadratic Functions
Solving by Factorisation Example
Solve the equation…
You need to be able to solve Quadratic
Equations by factorising them. c) 2x2  9x  5  0
Factorise
A Quadratic Equation will have 0, 1 or 2
(2 x  1)(
)(xx  5) )00
solutions, known as ‘roots’

1
If there is 1 solution it is known as a x or x  5
‘repeated root’ 2

Factorising this is slightly different. Using -5 and +1

 There must be a ‘2x’ at the start of a  They multiply to give -5
bracket  If we double the -5, they add to give
 The numbers in the brackets must still -9
multiply to give ‘-5’  So the -5 goes opposite the ‘2x’ term
 The number in the second bracket will be
doubled when they are expanded though,
so the numbers must add to give ‘-9’
WHEN ONE HAS BEEN DOUBLED
2B
 Quadratic Functions
Solving by Factorisation Example
Solve the equation…
You need to be able to solve Quadratic
Equations by factorising them. d) 6 x 2  13 x  5  0
Factorise
(3x  1)(2
)(2xx  5))  00
A Quadratic Equation will have 0, 1 or 2
solutions, known as ‘roots’
3x  1  0 2x  5  0
If there is 1 solution it is known as a x 1 x5
‘repeated root’ 3 2

Factorising this is even more difficult
 The brackets could start with 6x and x,
or 2x and 3x (either of these would give
the 6x2 needed)
 So the numbers must multiply to give -5
 And add to give 13 when either;
 One is made 6 times bigger
 One is made twice as big, and the
other 3 times bigger
Using 3x and 2x at the starts of the
brackets
And -1 and +5 inside the brackets…
 They multiply to give -5
 They will add to give 13 if the +5 is
tripled, and the -1 is doubled
 So +5 goes opposite the 3x, and -1
opposite the 2x
2B
 Quadratic Functions
Solving by Factorisation Example
Solve the equation…
You need to be able to solve Quadratic
Equations by factorising them. e) x 2  5 x  18  2  3x Subtract 2
Subtract 3x
x 2  8 x  16  0
A Quadratic Equation will have 0, 1 or 2 Factorise
solutions, known as ‘roots’ ( x  4)( x  4)  0

If there is 1 solution it is known as a

x40
‘repeated root’
x4

2B
 Quadratic Functions
Solving by Factorisation Example
Solve the equation…
You need to be able to solve Quadratic Square root
Equations by factorising them. f) (2 x  3)  25
2
both sides (2
possible
A Quadratic Equation will have 0, 1 or 2
2 x  3  5 answers!)
solutions, known as ‘roots’

If there is 1 solution it is known as a 2x  3  5 2 x  3  5

‘repeated root’
2x  8 2 x  2
x4 x  1

2B
 Quadratic Functions
Solving by Factorisation Example
Solve the equation…
You need to be able to solve Quadratic Square root
Equations by factorising them. g) ( x  3)  7
2
both sides (2
possible
A Quadratic Equation will have 0, 1 or 2 x3   7 answers!)
solutions, known as ‘roots’

If there is 1 solution it is known as a

‘repeated root’ x3 7 x3   7

x  3 7 x  3 7

2B
 Quadratic Functions
Completing the Square Example
Complete the square for the following
Quadratic Equations can be written in expression…
another form by ‘Completing the
Square’ a) x2  8x

x 2  bx
 x  4
2
 42

2 2 If we check by
 b b expanding our answer…
 x    
 2 2
 x  4   42
2

‘So b/2 is half of the  x  4  ( x  4)  42

coefficient of x’
x 2  4 x  4 x  16  42
x2  8x
2C
 Quadratic Functions
Completing the Square Example
Complete the square for the following
Quadratic Equations can be written in expression…
another form by ‘Completing the
Square’ b) x 2  12 x

x 2  bx
 x  6   62
2

 x  6   36
2
2 2
 b b
 x    
 2 2

‘So b/2 is half of the

coefficient of x’

2C
 Quadratic Functions
Completing the Square Example
Complete the square for the following
Quadratic Equations can be written in expression…
another form by ‘Completing the
Square’ c) x 2  3x

x 2  bx
 x  1.5  1.52
2
With
Decimals
 x  1.5  2.25
2
2 2
 b b
 x    
 2 2 2 2
 3 3
 x    
 2  2 With
‘So b/2 is half of the 2 Fractions
coefficient of x’  3 9
 x   
 2 4

2C
 Quadratic Functions
Completing the Square Example
Complete the square for the following
Quadratic Equations can be written in expression…
another form by ‘Completing the
Square’ d) 2 x 2  10 x
Factorise
first
x 2  bx
2( x 2  5 x)
Complete the
square inside
2 2  5 5 
2 2
the bracket
 b b 2  x      
 x      2   2   You can work
 2 2 out the
second
 5  25 
2
bracket
2  x    
‘So b/2 is half of the  2 4  You can also
coefficient of x’ 2
multiply it by
 5  25 the 2 outside
2 x   
 2 2
2C
 Quadratic Functions
Using Completing the Square Example
Solve the following equation by completing
You can use the idea of completing the square…
the square to solve quadratic
equations. a) x 2  8 x  10  0
Subtract 10
x 2  8 x  10 Complete
This is vital as it needs minimal
calculations, and no calculator is the Square
 x  4
2
 (4) 2  10
needed when using surds. (The Core Add 16
1 exam is non-calculator)
 x  4
2
 10  16

 x  4
2
6
Square Root
x4 6
Subtract 4
x  4  6

2D
 Quadratic Functions
Example
Using Completing the Square
Solve the following equation by completing
the square…
You can use the idea of completing
the square to solve quadratic b) 2 x2  8x  7  0
equations. 7 Divide by 2
x2  4x   0
2 Subtract 7/2
This is vital as it needs minimal
7
calculations, and no calculator is x2  4 x  
needed when using surds. (The Core 2
Complete
1 exam is non-calculator)
7 the square
 x  2   (2)2  
2

2 Add 4
1
 x  2
2

2 Square Root
11
x2 
2 Add 2
1
x  2
2 2D
 Quadratic Functions
The Quadratic Formula

You will have used the Quadratic

Formula at GCSE level.

You can also use it at A-level for

Quadratics where it is more
difficult to complete the square.
b  b 2  4ac
We are going to see where this
formula comes from (you do not 2a
need to know the proof!)

2E
 Quadratic Functions
Top and
bottom of 2nd
The Quadratic Formula fraction
2 multiplied by
 b  b 2 4ac
ax 2  bx  c  0 x   2  2 4a
 2a  4a 4 a
Divide all by a Combine the
b c 2 Right side
x2  x 0  b  b 2  4ac
a a x  
Subtract c/a  2a  4a 2
b c Square Root
x  x
2
b b 2  4ac
a a Complete the Square x 
(Half of b/a is b/2a) 2a 4a 2 Square Root

2
b   b  c
2 top/bottom
 x  
     b  b 2  4ac separately
 2a   2 a  a Square the x 
2nd bracket 2a 2a Subtract
2 2
 b  b c b
/2a
 x      b b 2  4ac
 2a  4 a 2 a x 
Add b2
/4a2 2a 2a
2
Combine the
2
 b  b c Right side
x   2  x
b  b 2  4ac
 2a  4a a
2a
2E
 Quadratic Functions
The Quadratic Formula b  b 2  4ac
x
2a
You need to be able to recognise
3  32  (4  4  2)
when the formula is better to x
use. 2 4
3  9  32
Examples would be when the x
coefficient of x2 is larger, or 8
when the 3 parts cannot easily be
divided by the same number.
3  41
x
8
Example
Solve 4x2 – 3x – 2 = 0 by using the formula.
3  41 3  41
x x
a = 4 b = -3 c = -2 8 8

2E
 Quadratic Functions
b 2  4ac  0 b 2  4ac  0 b 2  4ac  0
Sketching Graphs a0 a0 a0
y y y
You need to be able to
sketch a Quadratic by
working out key co-
ordinates, and knowing
what shape it should be.
x x x
ax 2  bx  c  0
b 2  4ac  0 b 2  4ac  0 b 2  4ac  0
b  b 2  4ac a0 a0 a0
x y y y
2a
x x x
b – 4ac is known as the
2

‘discriminant’
 Its value determines
how many solutions the
equation has
2F
 Quadratic Functions
Example
Sketching Graphs
Sketch the graph of the equation;
y = x2 – 5x + 4
To sketch a graph, you need to
work out; Where it crosses the y-axis
The graph will cross the y-axis where x=0,
1) Where it crosses the y-axis (0,4) so sub this into the original equation.
2) Where (if anywhere) it crosses
the x-axis (1,0) (4,0) y  x2  5x  4
Co-ordinate (0,4)
y4
Then confirm its shape by looking
at the value of a, as well as the Where it crosses the x-axis
discriminant (b2 – 4ac) The graph will cross the x-axis where y=0,
so sub this into the original equation.
y  x2  5x  4
0  x2  5x  4 Co-ordinates (1,0)
and (4,0)
0  ( x  4)( x  1)
x  1 or x  4 2F
 Quadratic Functions
y

Sketching Graphs

To sketch a graph, you need to

work out;

1) Where it crosses the y-axis (0,4)

2) Where (if anywhere) it crosses
the x-axis (1,0) (4,0)

Then confirm its shape by looking x

at the value of a, as well as the
discriminant (b2 – 4ac)
Confirmation  a > 0 so a ‘U’ shape
y = x2 – 5x + 4
 b2 – 4ac
 -52 – (4x1x4)
9
 Greater than 0 so 2 solutions
2F
 Quadratic Functions
Example
Sketching Graphs
Find the values of k for which;

You can also use the information x2 + kx + 9 = 0

on the discriminant to calculate has equal roots.
unknown values.

You need to remember; b 2  4ac  0 Sub in a, b and c from

the equation (b = k!)
‘real roots’  b - 4ac > 0
2 k 2  (4  1 9)  0
Work out the bracket
k  36  0
2
‘equal roots’  b – 4ac = 0
2
Add 36
k  36
2

‘no real roots’  b2 – 4ac < 0 Square Root

• 

2F
 Summary
• We have recapped solving a Quadratic
Equation

• We have learnt how to use ‘completing

the square’

• We have also solved questions on

sketching graphs and using the
‘discriminant’