Chapter 16

Quadratic
Equations
 Chapter Sections

16.1 – Solving Quadratic Equations by the Square Root P

roperty
16.2 – Solving Quadratic Equations by Completing the S
quare
16.3 – Solving Quadratic Equations by the Quadratic For
mula
16.4 – Graphing Quadratic Equations in Two Variables
16.5 –
Interval Notation, Finding Domains and Ranges from G
raphs and Graphing Piecewise-Defined Functions

Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 2

§ 16.1

Solving Quadratic
Equations by the Square
Root Property
 Square Root Property

We previously have used factoring to solve

quadratic equations.
This chapter will introduce additional methods for
solving quadratic equations.
Square Root Property
If b is a real number and a2 = b, then

a b

Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 4

 Square Root Property
Example
Solve x2 = 49
x   49  7
Solve 2x2 = 4
x2 = 2
x 2
Solve (y – 3)2 = 4
y  3   4  2
y=32
y = 1 or 5
Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 5
 Square Root Property
Example

Solve x2 + 4 = 0
x2 = 4
There is no real solution because the square root
of 4 is not a real number.

Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 6

 Square Root Property
Example
Solve (x + 2)2 = 25
x  2   25  5
x = 2 ± 5
x = 2 + 5 or x = 2 – 5
x = 3 or x = 7

Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 7

 Square Root Property
Example

Solve (3x – 17)2 = 28

3x – 17 =  28   2 7
3 x  17  2 7
17  2 7
x
3

Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 8

§ 16.2

Solving Quadratic
Equations by Completing
the Square
 Completing the Square
In all four of the previous examples, the constant in the
square on the right side, is half the coefficient of the x
term on the left.
Also, the constant on the left is the square of the
constant on the right.
So, to find the constant term of a perfect square
trinomial, we need to take the square of half the
coefficient of the x term in the trinomial (as long as the
coefficient of the x2 term is 1, as in our previous
examples).

Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 10

 Completing the Square
Example
What constant term should be added to the following
expressions to create a perfect square trinomial?
x2 – 10x
add 52 = 25
x2 + 16x
add 82 = 64
x2 – 7x 2
7 49
add   
2 4
Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 11
 Completing the Square
Example

We now look at a method for solving

quadratics that involves a technique called
completing the square.
It involves creating a trinomial that is a perfect
square, setting the factored trinomial equal to a
constant, then using the square root property
from the previous section.

Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 12

 Completing the Square
Solving a Quadratic Equation by Completing
a Square
1) If the coefficient of x2 is NOT 1, divide both
sides of the equation by the coefficient.
2) Isolate all variable terms on one side of the
equation.
3) Complete the square (half the coefficient of the
x term squared, added to both sides of the
equation).
4) Factor the resulting trinomial.
5) Use the square root property.
Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 13
 Solving Equations
Example

Solve by completing the square.

y2 + 6y = 8
y2 + 6y + 9 = 8 + 9
(y + 3)2 = 1
y+3=± 1=±1
y = 3 ± 1
y = 4 or 2
Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 14
 Solving Equations
Example
Solve by completing the square.
y2 + y – 7 = 0
y2 + y = 7
y2 + y + ¼ = 7 + ¼
29
(y + ½) = 2
4
1 29 29
y  
2 4 2
1 29  1  29
y  
2 2 2
Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 15
 Solving Equations
Example
Solve by completing the square.
2x2 + 14x – 1 = 0
2x2 + 14x = 1
x2 + 7x = ½
49 49 51
x2 + 7x + 4 =½ + 4 = 4
7 2 51
(x + ) =
2 4
7 51 51 7 51  7  51
x   x  
2 4 2 2 2 2
Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 16
§ 16.3

Solving Quadratic
Equations by the
Quadratic Formula
 The Quadratic Formula

Another technique for solving quadratic

equations is to use the quadratic formula.
The formula is derived from completing the
square of a general quadratic equation.

Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 18

 The Quadratic Formula

A quadratic equation written in standard

form, ax2 + bx + c = 0, has the solutions.

 b  b  4ac 2
x
2a

Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 19

 The Quadratic Formula
Example
Solve 11n2 – 9n = 1 by the quadratic formula.
11n2 – 9n – 1 = 0, so
a = 11, b = -9, c = -1

9  (9)  4(11)(1) 9  81  44 9  125

2
n   
2(11) 22 22
95 5
22
Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 20
 The Quadratic Formula
Example
1 2 5
Solve 8 x + x – 2 = 0 by the quadratic formula.
x2 + 8x – 20 = 0 (multiply both sides by 8)
a = 1, b = 8, c = 20

 8  (8) 2  4(1)(20)  8  64  80  8  144

x   
2(1) 2 2
 8  12 20 4
 or ,  10 or 2
2 2 2
Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 21
 The Quadratic Formula
Example
Solve x(x + 6) = 30 by the quadratic formula.
x2 + 6x + 30 = 0
a = 1, b = 6, c = 30

 6  (6) 2  4(1)(30)  6  36  120  6   84

x  
2(1) 2 2

So there is no real solution.

Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 22
 The Discriminant

The expression under the radical sign in the

formula (b2 – 4ac) is called the discriminant.
The discriminant will take on a value that is
positive, 0, or negative.
The value of the discriminant indicates two
distinct real solutions, one real solution, or no
real solutions, respectively.

Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 23

 The Discriminant
Example
Use the discriminant to determine the number and
type of solutions for the following equation.
5 – 4x + 12x2 = 0
a = 12, b = –4, and c = 5
b2 – 4ac = (–4)2 – 4(12)(5)
= 16 – 240
= –224
There are no real solutions.
Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 24
 Solving Quadratic Equations

Steps in Solving Quadratic Equations

1) If the equation is in the form (ax+b)2 = c, use
the square root property to solve.
2) If not solved in step 1, write the equation in
standard form.
3) Try to solve by factoring.
4) If you haven’t solved it yet, use the quadratic
formula.

Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 25

 Solving Equations
Example
Solve 12x = 4x2 + 4.
0 = 4x2 – 12x + 4
0 = 4(x2 – 3x + 1)
Let a = 1, b = -3, c = 1

3  (3)  4(1)(1) 3  9  4
2
3 5
x  
2(1) 2 2

Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 26

 Solving Equations
Example
Solve the following quadratic equation.
5 2 1
m m 0
8 2
5m 2  8m  4  0
(5m  2)(m  2)  0
5m  2  0 or m  2  0
2
m  or m  2
5
Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 27
§ 16.4

Graphing Quadratic
Equations in Two
Variables
 Graphs of Quadratic Equations
We spent a lot of time graphing linear equations
in chapter 3.
The graph of a quadratic equation is a parabola.
The highest point or lowest point on the parabola
is the vertex.
Axis of symmetry is the line that runs through
the vertex and through the middle of the
parabola.

Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 29

 Graphs of Quadratic Equations
Example y
Graph y = 2x2 – 4.
(–2, 4) (2, 4)
x y

2 4
1 –2 x
(–1, – 2) (1, –2)
0 –4
–1 –2
(0, –4)
–2 4

Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 30

 Intercepts of the Parabola
Although we can simply plot points, it is helpful
to know some information about the parabola
we will be graphing prior to finding individual
points.
To find x-intercepts of the parabola, let y = 0
and solve for x.
To find y-intercepts of the parabola, let x = 0
and solve for y.

Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 31

 Characteristics of the Parabola
If the quadratic equation is written in standard
form, y = ax2 + bx + c,
1) the parabola opens up when a > 0 and
opens down when a < 0.
b
2) the x-coordinate of the vertex is  .
2a
To find the corresponding y-coordinate, you
substitute the x-coordinate into the equation
and evaluate for y.
Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 32
 Graphs of Quadratic Equations
Example Graph y = –2x2 + 4x + 5. y
Since a = –2 and b = 4, the (1, 7)
graph opens down and the (2, 5)
(0, 5)
x-coordinate of the vertex
4
is  1
2(2)
x y
3 –1 x
(–1, –1) (3, –1)
2 5

1 7

0 5

–1 –1
Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 33
§ 16.5

Interval Notation, Finding

Domain and Ranges from
Graphs, and Graphing
Piecewise-Defined Functions
 Domain and Range

Recall that a set of ordered pairs is also called a

relation.
The domain is the set of x-coordinates of the ordered
pairs.
The range is the set of y-coordinates of the ordered
pairs.

Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 35

 Domain and Range
Example

Find the domain and range of the relation {(4,9), (–4,9),

(2,3), (10, –5)}
• Domain is the set of all x-values, {4, –4, 2, 10}
• Range is the set of all y-values, {9, 3, –5}

Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 36

 Domain and Range
y
Example
Find the domain and Domain
range of the function
graphed to the right.
Use interval notation. x
Range
Domain is [–3, 4]
Range is [–4, 2]

Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 37

 Domain and Range
y
Example
Find the domain and
range of the function Range
graphed to the right.
Use interval notation. x

Domain is (– , )
Range is [– 2, ) Domain

Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 38

 Domain and Range
Example
Find the domain and range of the following relation.
Input (Animal) Output (Life Span)
• Polar Bear 20
• Cow
• Chimpanzee 15
• Giraffe
• Gorilla 10
• Kangaroo
• Red Fox 7
Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 39
 Domain and Range
Example continued
Domain is {Polar Bear, Cow,
Chimpanzee, Giraffe, Gorilla, Kangaroo,
Red Fox}
Range is {20, 15, 10, 7}

Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 40

Graphing Piecewise-Defined Functions

Example
3x  2 if x  0
Graph f (x)   .
 x  3 if x  0
Graph each “piece” separately.

x f (x) = 3x – 1 x f (x) = x + 3
0 – 1(closed circle) 1 4
Values  0. Values > 0.
–1 – 4 2 5
–2 – 7 3 6

Continued.
Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 41
Graphing Piecewise-Defined Functions

Example continued
y
x f (x) = 3x – 1
(3, 6)
0 – 1(closed circle)
–1 – 4
Open circle (0, 3)
–2 – 7

x
(0, –1)
x f (x) = x + 3
1 4
(–1, 4)
2 5
3 6 (–2, 7)

Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 42