SOLVING QUADRATIC

EQUATIONS BY
FACTORISATION
 If a × b = 0 then a = 0 or b = 0

This very important result is used for solving quadratic equations.

1 Solve x 2  3x  0

x 2  3x  0 factorise

x(x  3)  0

x0 or x30

x0 or x3

check: 02 – 3 × 0 = 0
32 – 3 × 3 = 0
2 Solve x 2  5x  0

x 2  5x  0 factorise

x(x  5)  0

x0 or x50

x0 or x  5

check: 02 + 5 × 0 = 0
(−5)2 + 5 × (−5) = 0
3 Solve x 2  5x  6  0

x 2  5x  6  0 factorise

(x  2)(x  3)  0

x20 or x30

x2 or x3

check: 22 − 5 × 2 + 6 = 0
32 − 5 × 3 + 6 = 0
4 Solve x 2  5x  14  0

x 2  5x  14  0 factorise

(x  7)(x  2)  0

x70 or x20

x  7 or x2

check: (−7)2 + 5 × (−7) − 14 = 0

(2)2 + 5 × 2 − 14 = 0
5 Solve 2x 2  5x  3  0

2x 2  5x  3  0 factorise

(2x  1)(x  3)  0

2x  1 0 or x30
1
x or x  3
2

check: 2 × (½)2 + 5 × (½) − 3 = 0

2 ×(−3)2 + 5 × (−3) − 3 = 0
Problems involving quadratic
equations
 x x+1
1 The two rectangles have the same area.
Find x.
x+3
x(2x  2)  (x  3)(x  1) 2x + 2

2x 2  2x  x 2  x  3x  3

x 2  2x  3  0 factorise

(x  3)(x  1)  0 check:
3 4
x30 or x  1 0
area area
x3 or x  1 6
8 = 24 = 24
x must be positive, so x = 3
2 The triangle is right-angled.
Find x.
2x + 1
x−1
using Pythagoras
2x
(2x)2  (x  1)2  (2x  1)2

4x 2  x 2  x  x  1 4x 2  2x  2x  1

x 2  6x  0 check:

x(x  6)  0 factorise
13
5
x0 or x60
12
x0 or x6
5 2  122  13 2
x must be positive, so x = 6