THE QUADRATIC FORMULA

2
 b  b  4ac
2a
WHAT IS IT FOR?
The quadratic formula
is used to solve
quadratic equations.

What is a quadratic equation?

What does it mean to solve?

BACK
 QUADRATIC EQUATIONS
•To use the quadratic formula the
equations must be in descending order
equal to zero (aka Standard Form).
•All quadratic equations can be written in
this form where: a, b, and c are
constants and “a” cannot be zero.

2
ax  bx  c  0
BACK
 OTHER EXAMPLES
Here are some more examples of quadratic equations:

2 x 2  3x  2  0
 5 x 2  7 x  14  0
x 2  2x  0
Notice in the last one that there is no c term.
This is not a mistake. Notice also that all quadratic
equations have a squared variable.
2
x
BACK
USING THE QUADRATIC
FORMULA TO SOLVE
Remember the quadratic formula shown earlier.

2
 b  b  4ac
2a

BACK
 USING THE FORMULA
Look at the quadratic equation below and compare
it to the standard form of a quadratic equation.

2
x  5x  6  0
2
ax  bx  c  0

BACK
 USING THE FORMULA
2
x  5x  6  0
2
ax  bx  c  0
Simply list your a, b, and c values from your quadratic
equation and plug them into the quadratic formula.

a=1 (if there is no number before x2, assume a = 1).

b=5
c=6

BACK
 USING THE FORMULA
x 2  5x  6  0
a=1
b=5
c=6

 b  b 2  4ac
x
2a

BACK
 USING THE FORMULA
2
 b  b  4ac a=1
x b=5
2a c=6

Replace a, b, and c in the formula and look what you have.

 5  (5) 2  4(1)(6)
x
2(1)
BACK
 USING THE FORMULA
 5  (5) 2  4(1)(6)
x
2(1)

 5  25  24

2

5 1  5 1
 
2 2

BACK
USING THE FORMULA
 5 1

2
 5 1  5 1
 
2 2

 2  3
 2,3 BACK
 Your Turn

2
2 x  5x  3  0
2
 b  b  4ac
x
2a
 2
Quadratic  b  b  4ac
x
Formula 2a
0 = 2y2 + 4y - 1
2
a=2  (4)  (4)  4(2)( 1)
b=4
x
2(2)
c = -1
 4  16  8  4  24  4  2 6
x  
4 4 4
-4, 2, and 4 are all three
2 6
divisible by two and 
therefore can be reduced. 2
 No Real Roots
• Since there is
no real number
5   23 that is the
square root of a
negative
2 number, this
equation has no
real roots.
THE QUADRATIC FORMULA

2
 b  b  4ac
2a