2.

2 Quadratic Functions and Second-Degree Curves (Conics)

1. Quadratic Function: A quadratic function is a function
f of the form
f (x) = ax2 + bx + c
where a, b, and c are real numbers with a 6= 0.
2. Clicker Example: Which of the following functions is NOT a
quadratic function?
(a) f (x) = x2 + 2x + 1
(b) f (x) = (x + 1)2
1
(c) f (x) = 2
x + 2x + 1
(d) f (x) = 2x + x2 + 1

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3. Completing the square
You know x2 + 2x + 1 = (x + 1)2 – it is a perfect square.
However x2 − 10x + 1 is not.
How can you tell?

In fact (x − 5)2 = x2 − 10x + 25, so

x2 − 10x + 1 = (x − 5)2 − 24.
We wrote it as a perfect square plus a constant. This is known
as completing the square in a quadratic polynomial.

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4. Using completion of square for graphing and solving:
(a) We can always complete the square. Check that for any
a, b, c, x ∈ R, a 6= 0,
2
b2 − 4ac

2 b
ax + bx + c = a x + − .
2a 4a

(b) Complete the square, i.e., re-write the function f (x) =

2x2 − 5x + 2 in the form
f (x) = A(x + B)2 + C.

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(c) Draw a graph of the function f (x) = 2x2 − 5x + 2.

(a) g(x) = x2  
5 9
(b) h(x) = g x − (c) i(x) = 2h(x) (d) f (x) = i(x) −
4 8

5 2 9
 
2
Figure 1: The graph of f (x) = 2x − 5x + 2 = 2 x − − .
4 8

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5. All You Need to Know About Quadratic Functions:
Let a quadratic function
 2 2
b b − 4ac
f (x) = ax2+bx+c = a x + − , a, b, c ∈ R, a 6= 0
2a 4a
be given.
(a) What is the domain of the function f ?

(b) Find the zeros of the function f , i.e., solve the equation
f (x) = 0.

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 Summary:

√ √
−b + b2 − 4ac −b − b
b2 − 4ac > 0 Two solutions: x = and x =
2a 2a
b
b2 − 4ac = 0 One solution: x = −
2a

b2 − 4ac < 0 No solution

b 2 2 −4ac
−b
2


(c) If f (x) = ax + c = a x +
 + bx 2a 4a
b
evaluate f −
2a

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(d) Check the following two facts and discuss the intervals of
increase and decrease in each case:
b b2 − 4ac
i. If a > 0 then, for all x 6= − , f (x) > − .
2a 4a

b b2 − 4ac
ii. If a < 0 then, for all x 6= − , f (x) < − .
2a 4a

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 (e) i. Let a > 0.

(a) Case: b2 − 4ac > 0 (b) Case: b2 − 4ac = 0 (c) Case: b2 − 4ac < 0

If a > 0 then the graph of f is an upward parabola.

ii. Let a < 0. Then

(a) Case: b2 − 4ac > 0 (b) Case: b2 − 4ac = 0 (c) Case: b2 − 4ac < 0

If a < 0 then the graph of f is a downward parabola.

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6. Draw a graph of the function f (x) = −x2 + x + 2.

b2 − 4ac
 
b
The x-intercepts: The sign of a The vertex − , − The y-
2a 4a
solve f (x) = 0

Figure 4: Graph of f (x) = −x2 + x + 2

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7. Conics: Slicing a cone with a plane gives a circle, parabola,
ellipse, or hyperbola.
The idea comes from studying light.
Remarkably, these all have equations of degree 2.

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8. Circle: Here you need the details.
(a) A circle is the set of all points in a plane that are at a given
distance from a given point, the centre.The distance between
any of the points and the centre is called the radius of the
circle.

Figure 5: A circle

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(b) Evaluate the distance between the two points, A = (x1, y1)
and B = (x2, y2), i.e., find the length of the line segment AB.

Figure 6: Pythagorean Theorem -The most famous theorem of all

(c) The equation of the circle with the centre at the point (a, b)
and the radius r is given by
(x − a)2 + (y − b)2 = r2.

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 9. Examples:
(a) Draw the following circles:

(a) The unit circle: x2 + y 2 = 1 (b) (x − 2)2 + y 2 = 2 (c) (x − 1)2 + (y − 1)2 = 2

Figure 7: Three circles

(b) Write the equation of the circle with the centre at the point
(−1, 1) and radius r = π.

(c) Find the centre and the radius of the circle

x2 + 2x + y 2 − 6y = 0.

10. Ellipse: Just the basics.

(a) The standard form of the equation of an ellipse centered at
the origin is
x2 y 2
+ = 1.
a2 b2

x2 y 2
The ellipse + = 1 is not just any oval. Note the
9 16
intercepts are x = ±a, y = ±b.

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11. Hyperbola:Just the basics with one exception (be-
low)
(a) The standard form of the equation of a hyperbola centered
at the origin is
x2 y 2
− =1
a2 b2

x2 y2
This is the hyperbola 9 − 16 = 1. The intercepts are at

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x = ±3. The gray lines are called asymptotes –“non-
touchers”. The equations are y = ±(b/a)x.

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12. The Most Important Hyperbola:

1
The hyperbola y = with its asymptotes the x- and y-axis.
x
(You can put it in the other form by a rotation, so it still has the
right form).
Important in part because it is a function.

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