QUADRATIC FUNCTIONS

Mrs. Aldous, Mr. Beetz & Mr. Thauvette

IB DP SL Mathematics
You should be able to
Move confidently between the three different forms
of a quadratic function (standard form, vertex form,
factored form)

Extract important information about the graph of a

quadratic function from its equation

Solve quadratic equations using a variety of

techniques including factorization, the quadratic
formula or the GDC
You should be able to
Write equations of quadratic functions given
information about their graphs

Use the discriminant ( D )to determine the nature of

the roots of a quadratic function.
Try This

Use a graph to determine whether the quadratic function

y = 2x + 5x -12 is the product of the linear factors
2

2x - 3 and x + 4 .

Make a conjecture about the linear factors, x-intercepts,

and axis of symmetry of a quadratic function.
 What is a quadratic?
Any expression or equation that contains a square
as its highest order.
Identify which of these 6 are quadratics.
Matching Quadratics
Card Activity
 Solving a quadratic
A quadratic can only be solved if there is an = sign in the equation,
otherwise it is an expression.
List all the methods you know to solve a quadratic equation.

Factorise (bring in brackets)

Use the formula:

Graph it using your GDC

and find the roots.

Completing the square (we

will cover this later).
 Factorising
Factorising requires finding common factors and adding
brackets.

Find 2 numbers that:

Add to give -7 and multiply to give +12

This will give -3 and -4.

This is used when we have harder expressions to factorise.

Divide the function by a

Find 2 numbers whose product is ac
and whose sum is b.
ac=6,b=-7, two numbers are -6 and -1

These numbers factorise with each

bracket starting with ax, and finish with
the two numbers from above.

Now take out any common factors from

the any of the brackets and cancel with
the denominator.
( x - 3)(2x -1) Now we have our final answer.
 Solving after factorising

Now to solve quadratics that have been factorised:

This is the equation we have already factorised.

Take the first bracket, make it equal to 0 and
solve.

Do the same with second bracket, make it

equal to 0 and solve.

Now solve the second quadratic we had.

The answers 1
are:
x = 3 and x=
2
 GDC Activity
How can you find the minimum or maximum value and the
zeros of a quadratic function using a graphing calculator?

Find the maximum value of the function y = -2x 2 - 6x + 7.

Find the maximum value of the function y = -2x 2 - 6x + 7.
Approximate the zeros of a function

Approximate the zeros of the function y = 3x 2 + 2x - 4 .

Reflection
If a quadratic function has only one zero, what is
the maximum or minimum value of the function?
Explain.
If a quadratic function has a maximum value that is
greater than 0, how many zeros does the function
have? Explain.
 Using a graph to solve equations

Look at where the

quadratic curve = 0
(y=0)

Solution: x=3

Solution: x=-2
 How many solutions?
These graphs have either 2 solutions, 1 repeated solution or 0
solutions. Which is which?

0 solutions

2 solutions

1 repeated solution
 Using the quadratic formula

A quadratic formula is given as

a, b, and c are the coefficients, the given numbers.

Use the to give 2

formula: answers.
Try using the formula to solve the quadratic:

a=2, b=-7, c=3

1
Final answers are x = 3 and x=
2
Rearranging quadratic equation in the form ax2 + bx + c
where a=1.
1. Introduce an = sign and
then eliminate c from the left
hand side.

2. Write down the value of

and and , keeping your
values as fractions.
3. Add to both sides of the
equation.
4. The left and side will now
factorise into .

5. Eliminate the number from

the right hand side and get
rid of the = sign you
introduced in 1.
Rearranging quadratic equation in the form ax 2 + bx + c where a is not
equal to 1.
1. Take the factor of a, out of your expression, 2x 2 + 5x -12
keeping your answers as fractions. 2 5
2 x + x - 6
2
2. Discard a for now. We will use it later. Treat
the inside of your bracket as an expression and 5
use the same method as before. x2 + x -6
2
3. Introduce an = sign and then eliminate c from 5
x2 + x = 6
the left hand side. 2
4. Write down the value of and , keeping
your values as fractions.

5. Add to both sides of the equation.

6. The left and side will now factorise into .

7. Eliminate the number from the right hand side

and get rid of the = sign.
8. Now multiply the equation out by a as shown in
the example.
 Questions
Write each of the following in the form 3. f (x)=2x 2 +10x +1
1
a(x + p)2 +q. 2 x 2 + 5x +
2

1. f (x)= x 2 + 6x + 2 x 2 + 5x = -
1
2
x 2 + 6x = -2 x 2 + 5x +
25 23
=
4 4
x 2 + 6x + 9 = 7 5 23
2

x + -
2 4
( x + 3) - 7
2
5 23
2

2 x + -
2 2

2. f (x)= x - 8x - 5 2 4. f (x)= 3x 2 -12x + 5

5
3 x 2 - 4 x +
x - 8x = 5
2
3

x 2 - 8x + 16 = 21 x2 - 4x = -
5
3
( x - 4) - 21
2 7
x2 - 4x + 4 =
3
7
( x - 2) -
2

3
3( x - 2) - 7
2
 Graphing and Completing the Square

The graph of
can be rearranged to give
.

Now graph f(x).

Look at the vertex (the

minimum or turning
point of the graph).

The vertex of the graph has the coordinates , compare

this with the function .

Do you see the connection?

 Graphing and Completing the Square

The graph of g(x) = 2x + 5x -12

2

can be rearranged to
give

Now graph g(x).

Look at the vertex (the
minimum or turning
point of the graph).

The vertex of the graph has the coordinates ,

compare this with the function .

Do you see the connection?

A quadratic in the forma(x + p)2 + q has a vertex with the
coordinates (-p,q) when graphed.
 Finding the inverse of a quadratic.

Finding the inverse of a

quadratic in the form
is not easy,
but rearranging in the form
makes this
task easier.

An example is shown opposite.

 Using graphs to find equations

The graph below shows a quadratic, y=a(x-h)2+k.

The minimum point of the graph is (h,-8).
Find the values of a, h, and k.
The axis of symmetry is mid-
way between the roots.
h=3
k represents the y-coordinate
at the minimum point.
k=-8

Use a set of coordinates from

the graph to find a.
x=1, y=0.

0=a(1-3)2-8
4a=8
a=2

y=2(x-3)2-8
 Use your GDC to find which of the following have either:
no solutions, 1 repeated solution, or 2 solutions.

1.2x 2 - 5x - 3 = 0 1. 2 solutions

2.3x 2 - 5x + 4 = 0 2. 0 solutions

3.4x 2 + 16x + 15 = 0 3. 2 solutions

4.x 2 - 2x + 1 = 0 4. 1 solution

5.x 2 + x + 5 = 0 5. 0 solutions

6.4x 2 + 4x + 1 = 0 6. 1 solution

Now use the quadratic formula to Which part of the quadratic

verify your results. equation determines the number
of solutions of a quadratic?
-b b2 - 4ac
2a b2 - 4ac
You should have now found the following facts:

2
b - 4ac > 0 2 solutions

2 1 repeated
b - 4ac = 0 solution

2
b - 4ac < 0 0 solutions
Using the discriminant to solve typical examination questions 1

b 2 - 4ac > 0 2 solutions As there is 1 repeated solution use

the highlighted formula.

b 2 - 4ac = 0 1 repeated solution

k2 - (4 1 9) = 0
b 2 - 4ac < 0 no solutions
k2 = 36
Find the value(s) of k in the following
quadratic given the quadratic has 1 k = 6, -6
repeated solution.

x2 + kx + 9 = 0
Using the discriminant to solve typical examination questions 2

As there are 2 solutions use the

b - 4ac > 0
2
2 solutions highlighted formula

b - 4ac = 0
2
1 repeated solution k2 - (4 2 8) > 0

k2 > 64
b 2 - 4ac < 0 no solutions

Find the range of values for k in the k>8 and k < -8

following quadratic given the
quadratic has 2 solutions.
Be careful with the negative answer,
and the change of sign.
2x2 + kx + 8 = 0
Using the discriminant to solve typical examination questions 3

b 2 - 4ac > 0 2 solutions As there are 0 solutions use the

highlighted formula.

b 2 - 4ac = 0 1 repeated solution k2 - (4 9 4) < 0

b 2 - 4ac < 0 no solutions k2 < 144

Find the range of values for k in the
following quadratic given the k < 12 and k > -12
quadratic has 0 solutions.
2 Again, be careful with the negative
9x + kx + 4 = 0 answer, and the change of sign.
Example
Let f ( x ) = a ( x - 4 ) + 8.
2

(a) Write down the coordinates of the vertex of the

curve of f .

(b) Given that f ( 7 ) = -10, find the value of a.

(c) Find the y-intercept of the curve of f.

Example continued f ( x ) = a ( x - 4 ) 2
+ 8.

(a) Write down the coordinates of the vertex of the

curve of f .
Example continued f ( x ) = a ( x - 4 ) 2
+ 8.

(b) Given that f ( 7 ) = -10, find the value of a.

Example continued f ( x ) = a ( x - 4 ) 2
+ 8.

(c) Find the y-intercept of the curve of f.

You should know
The vertex of the quadratic function
f ( x ) = a ( x - h ) + k is at ( h, k )
2

The roots (solutions, zeros, xintercepts) of the

quadratic function f ( x ) = a ( x - b ) ( x - c ) occur at
x = b and x = c
The y-intercept of the function f ( x ) = ax 2 + bx + c
has coordinates ( 0, c )
b
The equation of the axis of symmetry is x = -
2a
You should know
The graph of a quadratic function opens up when
the leading coefficient, a, is positive and opens
down when a is negative
The vertex of a parabola can be used to solve
optimization problems that are quadratic
A quadratic function has two real roots when D > 0,
one real (double) root when D = 0, and no real
roots when D < 0
Be prepared
Your calculator is an efficient tool for quickly finding
the vertex of a quadratic function and then
(
expressing ax + bx + c in the form a x - h + k
2
) 2

It may be necessary to reject one of the solutions of

a quadratic equation if it makes no sense in the
context of the question