Algebra Honors (Period 6 & 7)

The Quadratic Formula: 12-3

Method 5:
THE QUADRATIC FORMULA

Let's all sing it to "Pop Goes the Weasel!

"
x = -b plus or minus the square root of b squared minus 4ac all over 2a

x =
-b ± √ (b² - 4ac)
2a

Notice how the first part is the x value of the vertex -b/2a


The plus or minus square root of b squared minus 4ac represents 
how far away the two x intercepts (or roots) are from the vertex!!!!



Very few real world quadratics can be solved by factoring or square rooting each side.


And completing the square always works, but it long and cumbersome!

All quadratics can be solved by using the QUADRATIC FORMULA.

You will find out that some quadratics have NO REAL solutions, which means that there are no x intercepts - the parabola does not cross the x axis!
Think about what kinds of parabolas would do this....ones that are smiles that have a vertex above the x or ones that are frowns that have a vertex below the x axis.
You will find out in Algebra II that these parabolas have IMAGINARY roots




So now you know 5 ways that you know to find the roots:


1. graph


2. factor if possible


3. square root each side


4. complete the square - that's what the quadratic formula is based on!


5. plug and chug in the Quadratic Formula -
This method always works if there's a REAL solution!




DON'T FORGET TO PUT THE QUADRATIC IN STANDARD FORM BEFORE PLUGGING THE VALUES INTO THE QUADRATIC FORMULA!


You should know that for the quadratic formula, you don't need the "a" coefficient to be positive!

That's important if you use factoring, SQRTing each side, and completing the square.


But for the quadratic formula, either way, you'll get the same roots!


EXAMPLE: x² + 8x = 48 


You can move the 48 over or move the x² + 8x over and you'll get the same answers!
Let's look at:


"a" coefficient positive *****vs***** "a" coefficient negative



x² + 8x - 48 = 0 ****VS**** -x² - 8x + 48 = 0


First x² + 8x - 48 = 0
-8 ± √[64 - 4(1)(-48)]

2(1)



-8 ± √(64 + 192)

2



-8 ± √(256)
2



-8 ± 16
2



(-8 + 16)/2 and (-8 - 16)/2



8/2 and -24/2
4 and -12

Now let's compare -x² - 8x + 48 = 0


8 ± √[64 - 4(-1)(48)]

-2(1)

8 ± √(64 + 192)

-2

8 ± √(256)
-2


8 ± 16
-2

(8 + 16)/-2 and (8 - 16)/-2
24/-2 and -8/-2
-12 and 4

So all the signs are simply the opposite of each other and therefore the answers are the same

Algebra Honors (Period 6 & 7)

Completing the Square: 12-2
METHOD 4:


Now this is completely new to you!!!

When does the square root = ± square root method work well?

When the side with the variable is a PERFECT SQUARE! We saw that in the previous section.
perfect square = k ( when k ≥ 0)

So what if that side is not a perfect BINOMIAL SQUARED?

It may be possible to trasform it into one... by COMPLETING THE SQUARE
You can follow steps to make it into one!

Why is this good? 

Because then you can just square root each side to find the roots!


THIS METHOD ALWAYS WORKS!


EXAMPLE:
x² - 3x -18 = 0

(Head's up-- I wouldn't use this method here because I can see that it factors easily... into (x-6)(x+3) = 0 so the solution set is {-3,6}
However, knowing what I need to get for my solutions might be a good way to practice Completing the square..
so

x² - 3x = 18

Step 1) b/2

That is, take half of the b coefficient ,
or in this case (- 3/2)



Step 2) Square b/2

(b/2)²
(-3/2 ⋅ -3/2 = 9/4)


Step 3) Add (b/2)² to both sides of the equation

x² - 10x + 9/4 = 18 +9/4

Step 4) Factor to a binomial square

(x - 3/2)² = 18 + 9/4
 = 81/4


Step 5) Square root each side and solve

√(x - 3/2)² = √ 81/4

x - 3/2 = ± 9/2
x = 3/2 ± 9/2
x = 3/2 + 9/2 AND x = 3/2 - 9/2
x = 6 and x = -3
{-3, 6}
We got the same solutions !! Yay!!


x² - 10x = 0


Not a TRINOMIAL SQUARE so it would not factor to a BINOMIAL SQUARED.

But here's how you can make it one!


Step 1) b/2

That is, take half of the b coefficient ,
or in this case (- 10/2 = -5)


Step 2) Square b/2

(b/2)²
(-5 x -5 = 25)

Step 3) Add (b/2)² to both sides of the equation

x² - 10x + 25 = +25
Step 4) Factor to a binomial square

(x - 5)² = 25

Step 5) Square root each side and solve

√(x - 5)² = √ 25

x - 5 = ± 5

Step 6) ADD 5 TO BOTH SIDES

x - 5 = ± 5
+ 5 = +5
x = 5 ± 5
Step 7) Simplify if possible

x = 5 + 5 and x = 5 - 5

x = 10 and x = 0



So the 2 roots (solutions/zeros/x intercepts) are 0 and 10.
YOU DON'T NEED TO GRAPH THE PARABOLA, BUT IF YOU DID, IT WOULD CROSS THE X AXIS AT 0 AND 10.
I don't know where the vertex is, but I don't need to because it's not the solution to the quadratic (although I certainly could find the vertex by using x = -b/2a)
Notice that I could also factor x² - 10x = 0 to get the solution more easily.
So don't complete the square if the quadratic factors easily!

IF THERE IS A "c", first move the c constant to the other side of the equation before completing the square:
x² - 10x - 11 = 0
x² - 10x - 11 + 11 = 0 + 11
x² - 10x = 11
NOW COMPLETE THE SQUARE AS ABOVE:
x² - 10x + 25 = +25 + 11
(x - 5)² = 36
√ (x - 5)² = √ 36
x - 5 = ± 6
x = 5 ± 6
x = 11 and x = -1

Again, this one factored easily so I wouldn't have even used completing the square. ALWAYS CHECK IF IT FACTORS FIRST!
Now an example that DOES NOT FACTOR: x² - 10x - 18 = 0
x² - 10x - 18 = 0
x² - 10x - 11 + 18 = 0 + 18
x² - 10x = 18
NOW COMPLETE THE SQUARE AS ABOVE:
x² - 10x + 25 = +25 + 18
(x - 5)² = 43
√ (x - 5)² = √ 43
x - 5 = ± √ 43
x = 5 ± √ 43
x = 5 + √ 43 and x = 5 - √ 43
When there is an IRRATIONAL square root, always SIMPLIFY if possible!

IF THERE IS AN "a" COEFFICIENT, YOU MUST DIVIDE EACH TERM BY IT BEFORE YOU CAN COMPLETE THE SQUARE:

Example: 2x² - 3x - 1 = 0
Move the 1 to the other side of the equation:
2x² - 3x = 1

Divide each term by the "a" coefficient:

x² - 3/2 x = 1/2

Now find the completing the square term and add it to both sides:
[(-3/2)(-3/2)]2 = 9/16
x² - 3/2 x + 9/16 = 1/2 + 9/16

(x - 3/4)² =8/16 + 9/16

(x - 3/4)² = 17/16
√[(x - 3/4)² ] = ±√ [17/16]

x - 3/4 = ±[√17] /4

x = 3/4 ±[√ 17] /4

x = (3 ± [√17]) /4
or written better x =
3 ± √ 17
4

Algebra Honors (Period 6 & 7)

Quadratic Equations with Perfect Squares 12-1

In Chapter 5 you learned how to solve certain quadratic equations by factoring and in Chapter 11 you learned how to solve quadratics in the for
x² = k
as in x² = 49
x = ±7

This lesson extend to any quadratic equation involving a perfect square

if we have x² = k
if:
k > 0 then x² = k has two real-numbered roots with x = ±√k
if k = 0 then x² = k has one real numbered root x = 0
if k<0 sup="" then="" x="">2 = k has no real numbered roots

m² = 49
√(m²) = ±√49
m = ±7
{-7, 7}
5r²= 45

5r² /5= 45/5
r²= 9
√r²= ±√9
r = ±3
{-3,3}

(x + 6)² = 64
√(x+6)² = ±√64
x+6 = ±8
be careful here
you now have
x = -6±8 which means
x = -6-8 = -14 AND x = -6+8 = 2
{-14, 2}

9r² = 121

9r²/9 = 121/9
r² = 121/9
√r²= ±√121/9
r = ±11/3

Make sure too check your solutions to insure that they both work

(x-3)² = 100
√ (x-3)² = ±√100
(x-3) = ±10
x = 3 ±10
x = 3 +10 = 13 and x = 3-10 = -7
{-7, 13}

5(x-4)² = 40
5(x-4)²/5 = 40/5
(x-4)² = 8
√ (x-4)² = ±√8
Now you need to simplify the Radical
s
√ (x-4)² = ±2√2
(x-4) = ±2√2
x = 4 ±2√2
{4 - 2√2, 4 + 2√2}



7(x - 8)² = -28
7(x-8)²?7 = -28/7
(x-8)² = -4
WAIT!!! that can't happen no real numbered solutions...

An equation that has a negative on one side and a perfect square as the other has NO REAL # Solutions

y² + 6y + 9 = 49
(y+3)² = 49
√(y+3)² = ±√49
(y+3) = ±7
y = -3 ±7
y = -3-7 = -10 and y = -3 +7 = 4
{-10. 4}

Perfect Squares like (x -4) ² and ( y + 3) ²
The square of any real number is always a non negative real number.
2(3x-5)² + 15 = 7 becomes
2(3x -5)² = -8
or (3x -5)² = -4... NO REAL number solution!!

Algebra Honors (Period 6 & 7)

Introduction to Quadratic Equations

We learned from Chapter 8 that a quadratic function is a function that can be defined by an equation of the form
ax² + bx + c = y where a is not equal to 0. This is a parabola when the domain is the set of REAL numbers.
When y = 0 in the quadratic function ax² + bx + c = y we have an equation of the form ax² + bx + c = 0. An equation that can be written in this form is called a quadratic equation.

STANDARD FORM is ax² + bx + c = 0
4x² + 7x = 5 write in standard form and determine a, b, and c
4x² + 7x – 5 = 0
a= 4
b = 7
c = -5


CHAPTER 12 gives you several different ways to SOLVE QUADRATICS
Solving a quadratic means to find the x intercepts of a parabola.
There are different ways of asking the exact same question:
Find the.....
x intercepts = the roots = the solutions = the zeros of a quadratic

We'll answer this question one of the following ways:
1) Read them from the graph (read the x intercepts) That’s where y = 0 or where the parabola crosses the x-axis!!
but...graphing takes time and sometimes the intercepts are not integers

2) Set y or f(x) = 0 and then factor (we did this in Chapter 5)
but...some quadratics are not factorable

3) Square root each side (+ or - square root on the answer side) We did this in Chapter 11
but...sometimes the variable side is not a perfect square (it's irrational)

4) If not a perfect square on the variable side, complete the square, then solve using #3 method
Now this method ALWAYS works, but...it takes a lot of time and can get complicated

5) Quadratic Formula (works for EVERY quadratic)
Really easy if you just memorize the formula and how to use it! :)

REVIEW:

Reading the x intercepts from a graph or factoring and solving using the zero products property.

METHOD 1:
Where the graph crosses the x axis is/are the x intercepts. (Remember, y = 0 here!)
The x intercepts are the two solutions or roots of the quadratic.

METHOD 2:
When we factored in Chapter 5 and set each piece equal to zero, we were finding the x value when y was zero.
That means we were finding these two roots!

y² – 5y = 6 = 6y – 18
first put this in standard form
y² – 11y + 24 = 0
(y -8) (y-3) = 0
y = 8 or y = 3

Substitute to verify that 8 and 3 are solutions!!

METHOD 3:

You did this in Chapter 11 for Pythagorean Theorem!
If there is no x term, it's easiest to just square root both sides to solve!

DIFFERENT FROM PYTHAGOREAN: NOT LOOKING FOR JUST THE PRINCIPAL SQUARE ROOT ANYMORE. NEED THE + OR - SYMBOL!!

This is also different from what we did when we had radical equations. Before we squared both sides to solve. It looks like these, but only after we squared both sides. Before we had to carefully check each answer—we had changed the equations by squaring. However, always check your solutions for any mistakes!!

3x² = 18
divide both sides by 3 and get: x² = 6
square root each side and get x = + SQRT 6 or - SQRT 6


(x - 5)² = 9
SQRT each side and get: x - 5 = + or - 3
+ 5 to both sides: x = 5 + 3 or x = 5 - 3
So, the 2 roots are x = 8 or x = 2

(x + 2)² = 7
SQRT each side and get: x + 2 = + or - SQRT of 7
-2 to both sides: x = -2+ SQRT 7 or x = -2 - SQRT 7

METHOD 4:
The Quadratic Formula!!
We will get to this one...

FORMULAS THAT ARE QUADRATICS:
Many formulas have a variable that is squared: compounded interest, height of a projectile (ball)
The formula for a projectile is h = -5t² + v₀t
We can find when a projectile is a ground level ( h= 0) by solving for
0 =-5t² + v₀t \If the projectile begins its flight at height c, its approximate height at time t is h = -5t²+v₀t + c We can find when it hits the ground by solving 0 = -5t² + v₀t + c



For example: a slow-pitch softball player hits a pitch when the ball is 2 m above the ground. The ball pops up with an initial velocity of 9m/s If the ball is allowed to drop to the ground, how long will it be in the air?
When the ball hits the ground h = 0 so
0 = -5t² + 9t + 2 or
-5t² + 9t + 2 = 0
( 5t + 1)(t -2) = 0
5t = 1 and t = 2
t = -1/5 can’t be a solution since the answer should be positive t must be 2 seconds
Check out Purple Math for great help on quadratics