Quadratics

Solving by Factorising

Eg Sove Eg 2 Solve

M Multiply by

Factorise Expand

Solve

( 𝑥+ 3 ) ( 𝑥 −5 ) =0
Eg 3 Solve
2
6 𝑥 − 9 𝑥 +2 𝑥 −3=0
3 𝑥 ( 2 𝑥 −3 ) +1 ( 2 𝑥 − 3 ) =0
( 2 𝑥 −3 )( 3 𝑥 +1 )=0
 Completing the square
Writing in the form
Eg Write in the form
Find the constant by

(we need to subtract as well so nothing effectively changes)

( 𝑥 −3 )2 − 8

Writing in the form Writing in the form

Eg Write in the form Eg Write
Take 3 out as a common factor for the first two terms in the form

( )
2
−3 ×
6
2
+5 −4×
3 2
2 ( )
+11

¿ 3 ( 𝑥 2 −6 𝑥+ 9−27
) +5 +2

¿ ( 2 𝑥+ 3 )2 +2
Solving

Eg Solve Eg2 Solve

2
Find the constant by ¿9
( )
−3 ×
6 2
2
+5=0
𝑥 −6 𝑥 +9+ 1= 9+9 3 ( 𝑥 2 − 6 𝑥+ 9 ) −27 +5=0
( 𝑥 − 3 )2 +1= 18
( 𝑥 − 3 ) 2=17
𝑥 −3=± √17 2
3 ( 𝑥 − 3 ) =22
𝑥=3 ± √ 17 ( 𝑥 − 3 ) 2=
22
3

𝑥 −3=±
22
3 √
𝑥=3 ±
22
3 √
Quartics
Eg Solve 2 4
Use → 𝑦 =𝑥
We get

Solving

( 𝑦 −5 ) ( 𝑦 + 4 )=0
𝑦 =5 𝑦=− 4
2 2
𝑥 =5 𝑥 =− 4 (𝑛𝑜 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠)

𝑥=± √ 5
Sketching Parabolas
Factorised
2
Eg 𝑦 =𝑥 − 2 𝑥 − 3
𝑦 =( 𝑥 − 3 ) ( 𝑥 +1 )

Intercepts: 𝑦 −𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑝𝑡 𝑥=0 3

𝑥 −𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑝𝑡𝑠 𝑦=0→ 𝑥=3 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑥=−1
Axis of symmetry Half way between x-intercepts

Vertex Half way between x-intercepts

at → 𝑦 =− 4 −1 3

−3
( 1 , −4 )
By Completing the square:
2
Eg 𝑦 =𝑥 − 2 𝑥 − 3
2
𝑦 =𝑥 − 2 𝑥 +1− 1− 3
2 2
𝑦 =( 𝑥 −1 ) − 4𝑇h𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑦=𝑥 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑠𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑡h𝑒 𝑣𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 ( )
1
−4
Vertex ( 1 , −4 )
𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑡 h𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑢𝑡1𝑢𝑝 1,𝑜𝑢𝑡 1𝑢𝑝3 𝑒𝑡𝑐

( 1 , −4 )
Intersections
Finding an intercept:

Eg Find where meets

2
Solve by substitution: 𝑥 −2 𝑥=2 𝑥+5
2 ( 5 , 15 )
𝑥 − 4 𝑥 − 5=0
( 𝑥+ 1 )( 𝑥 − 5 )=0

𝑥=−1 → 𝑦 =3 𝑥=5 → 𝑦 =15

( −1 , 3 )
( −1 , 3 ) 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ( 5 , 15 )
Discriminant
This determines the nature of the roots of a quadratic equation.
2
It is the part of the quadratic formula under the square root sign. ∆=𝑏 − 4 𝑎𝑐

If there are no real roots

there is one repeated root
there are two real roots

Eg
there are no real roots
Using the discriminant:
Eg Find the value of k such that has one repeated root.
2
3 𝑥 − 𝑘𝑥+3=0 2
𝑦 =𝑥 + 4 y =2 x +3
Now use the discriminant = 0
2
∆=𝑘 − 4 ×3 × 3=0
2
𝑘 =36 →𝑘=± 6
Eg 2 Find the value of k such that is a tangent to
Note: Tangent means only one point where the lines meet.
2
First use substitution:𝑥 + 4=2 𝑥+ 𝑘
2
𝑥 −2 𝑥+ 4 −𝑘=0
Now use the discriminant = 0 ∆=4 − 4 ( 4 − 𝑘 )=0
𝑘=3
Inequalities
Eg Solve

Solve as if "="
( 𝑥+ 1 )( 𝑥 − 4 ) ≤ 0
Look at graph and use where graph is −1 4
−1 ≥ 𝑥 ≥ 4

Eg2 Solve
( 𝑥+ 2 )( 𝑥 − 3 ) ≥ 0
From graph there are 2 regions

𝑥 ≤ −2 ∪ 𝑥 ≥ 3 −2 3