Solving Quadratic Equations

What does it mean to solve a quadratic equation?

We solve quadratic equations by finding the _____________, or the _______________.

Make sure your equation is set equal to zero (instead of y). Then, when you graph the
quadratic, the solutions are the ___________________________.
Solve the following quadratics by graphing.
1.

2.

a. Find the vertex.

a. Find the vertex.

b. What is the y-intercept?

b. What is the y-intercept?

c.

c.

Find two other points, then graph.

d. What are the solutions?

Find two other points, then graph.

d. What are the solutions?

Think about it
What is the y-value of the zeros?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Why do we care about zeros? Give an example of what the zeros might represent for the graph of a real
situation?
__________________________________________________________________________________________

Still make sure your equation is set equal to zero (instead of y).
Lets experiment
1.

2.

3.

Zero Product Property:

If the product of two quantities equals zero, at least one of the quantities must equal ________.

Using the zero product property, answer the following questions.

a. If ab = 0, what do you know about a and b? ________________________________________
b. If xy = 0, what do you know about x and y? ________________________________________
Find the possible solutions to the following equations.
1.
2.

How to Solve Quadratics by Factoring

Step 1:
Step 2:
Step 3:

Set the equation equal to 0 (instead of y).

See if you can factor the quadratic.
Set each factor equal to 0 and solve for the two zeros.

Solve the following quadratics by factoring.

1.
2.

Think about it
Notice anything about #1 and #2 from the front and #1 and #2 from the back?
____________________________________________________________________________________
Which method is easier for solving quadratics?
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Will a quadratic ever have 0 zeros?
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Will a quadratic ever have 1 zero?
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