Quadratics Cheat Sheet Edexcel Pure Year 1

Similar to the quadratic expression, quadratic equation can be represented in the Example 4: Sketch the graph of 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = 2𝑥𝑥 2
+ 5𝑥𝑥 − 3. Label all the intercepts and
form 𝑎𝑎𝑥𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 + 𝑐𝑐 = 0, where 𝑎𝑎, 𝑏𝑏 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑐𝑐 are real number and 𝑎𝑎 ≠ 0. Functions turning point.
A function can be seen as a machine that takes in an input, converts this value mathematically Before we start sketching, we need key pieces of information about the
Solving Quadratic Equations and gives an output. The input is most commonly denoted with the term ′𝑥𝑥 ′ and the output characteristics of the graph, which can be obtained by doing some calculations using
• To solve quadratic equations, a given equation must be rewritten in the is most commonly represented as 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) or 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥). For a given function, the set of possible the methods you have learnt so far.
form or kept in form of 𝑎𝑎𝑥𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 + 𝑐𝑐 = 0. inputs is called domain and the set of possible outputs is called range. We can compare the function to a general function of 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑎𝑎𝑥𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 + 𝑐𝑐 to
• Once in the correct form, the left-hand side of the equation, underlined determine the shape of the parabola.
in red, must be factorised and the factors must be equated to 0. For Function
example, if the factorisation came to (𝑥𝑥 + 𝑐𝑐)(𝑥𝑥 + 𝑑𝑑) = 0, to solve for ′𝑥𝑥′ 𝑥𝑥 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) 𝑎𝑎 = 2 and 2 > 0 hence the shape of the graph would look like .
you have to set the factor (𝑥𝑥 + 𝑐𝑐) = 0 and the factor (𝑥𝑥 + 𝑑𝑑) = 0 and
find the values of 𝑥𝑥 for each respective case. 3 𝑥𝑥 2 + 2 32 + 2 The next step would be to find the roots of the functions so we can determine where
= 11 it would cross the 𝑥𝑥 axis. To do this we need to solve the quadratic equation of
Note that quadratic equations can only have one, two or no real solutions. 2𝑥𝑥 2 + 5𝑥𝑥 − 3 = 0
During your mathematics course you will come across the questions or statements which are (2𝑥𝑥 − 1)(𝑥𝑥 + 3) = 0
Example 1: Solve the following quadratic equation. related to ‘finding the roots of a function’. The roots of a function are the values of the input 2𝑥𝑥 − 1 = 0 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑥𝑥 + 3 = 0
𝑥𝑥 for which the output 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) is equal to 0 (∴ 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = 0). Hence the roots of the function are:
3𝑥𝑥 2 − 2𝑥𝑥 − 8 = 0 1
𝑥𝑥 = 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑥𝑥 = −3
Factorising 3𝑥𝑥 2 − 6𝑥𝑥 + 4𝑥𝑥 − 8 = 0 Example 3: Find the value 𝑓𝑓(2) of the following function and find the roots of the function. 2
1
3𝑥𝑥(𝑥𝑥 − 2) + 4(𝑥𝑥 − 2) = 0 At coordinates � , 0� & (−3,0) is where the x intercepts will be located.
2
(3𝑥𝑥 + 4)(𝑥𝑥 − 2) = 0 a) 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = 2𝑥𝑥 2 + 5𝑥𝑥 − 3
Solving for values of 𝑥𝑥 4 𝑓𝑓(2) = 2(2)2 + 5(2) − 3 = 15
∴ 𝑥𝑥 = − 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑥𝑥 = 2 The last bit of information we need is the location of turning point for which we need
3 to complete the square.
You may come across quadratic equations that may seem impossible to solve b) 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = 2𝑥𝑥 2 + 5𝑥𝑥 − 3
through factorisation. In this scenario, we could utilise the quadratic formula: To find the root of a function we have to equate the output to 0. 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = 2𝑥𝑥 2 + 5𝑥𝑥 − 3
𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = 0 5 3
−𝑏𝑏 ± √𝑏𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 2𝑥𝑥 2 + 5𝑥𝑥 − 3 = 0 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = 2[𝑥𝑥 2 + 𝑥𝑥 − ]
𝑥𝑥 = 2 2
2𝑎𝑎 (2𝑥𝑥 − 1)(𝑥𝑥 + 3) = 0
5 2 25 3
Example 2: Solve the following equation using the quadratic formula. 2𝑥𝑥 − 1 = 0 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑥𝑥 + 3 = 0 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = 2[�𝑥𝑥 + � − − ]
Hence the roots of the function are: 4 16 2
2
2𝑥𝑥 2 − 8𝑥𝑥 + 3 = 0 1 5 49
𝑥𝑥 = 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑥𝑥 = −3 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = 2 �𝑥𝑥 + � −
𝑎𝑎 = 2, 𝑏𝑏 = −8 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑐𝑐 = 3 2 4 8
• Substitute the values of a, b and c into the quadratic formula Hence the turning point would have a coordinate of
Quadratic Graphs 5 49
(− , − ).
For functions which come in the form of a quadratic expression, the plot of 𝑦𝑦 = 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) would 4 8
−(−8) ± �(−8)2 − 4 × 2 × 3 Using all the information that we just obtained we
𝑥𝑥 = be illustrated on a graph in the form of a shape called a parabola. can sketch the graph.
2×2 For a given quadratic function 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑎𝑎𝑥𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 + 𝑐𝑐, if
The Discriminant
• 𝑎𝑎 is positive the shape of the parabola would be The expression 𝑏𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 is called the discriminant. The value obtained using the
discriminant expression on a quadratic function will indicate how many roots a given
4 + √10 4 − √10 function 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) has.
𝑥𝑥 = 𝑥𝑥 = • 𝑎𝑎 is negative the shape of the parabola would be
2 2 For the quadratic function 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑎𝑎𝑥𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 + 𝑐𝑐
Completing the square For a given quadratic graph, points A and B are the roots of the function as this is where the • If the discriminant 𝑏𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 > 0, then the function 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) has two distinct
Rewriting equations or expressions by completing the square, can be applied to graph intercepts the 𝑥𝑥axis and at these two points the output 𝑦𝑦 = 0. real roots.
many different applications in maths. Hence this would be regularly used in your • If the discriminant 𝑏𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 = 0, then the function 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) has one repeated
further studies. At point C on the graph is where the 𝑦𝑦 = 𝑐𝑐 as 𝑥𝑥 = 0 at real root.
this point. In other words, 𝑓𝑓(0) = 𝑐𝑐. • If the discriminant 𝑏𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 < 0, then the function 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) has no real roots.
𝑏𝑏 2 𝑏𝑏 2
• 𝑥𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 + 𝑐𝑐 = �𝑥𝑥 + � − � � + 𝑐𝑐
2 2
Point D on the graph represents the ‘turning’ or Example 5: Find the range of values of 𝑘𝑘 for which 𝑥𝑥 2 + 2𝑥𝑥 + 𝑘𝑘 = 0 has two distinct
• A B real roots.
‘stationery’ point. The coordinates of the turning point
Example 3: Write the following expression in the form of (𝑥𝑥 + 𝑎𝑎)2 + 𝑏𝑏 𝑥𝑥 2 + 2𝑥𝑥 + 𝑘𝑘 = 0
of the graph can be found by completing the square
𝑎𝑎 = 1, 𝑏𝑏 = 2 and 𝑐𝑐 = 𝑘𝑘
𝑥𝑥 2 + 6𝑥𝑥 + 2 𝑏𝑏 2 𝑏𝑏 2
C
D
𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = �𝑥𝑥 + � − � � + 𝑐𝑐 𝑏𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 > 0 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟
6 2 6 2 2 2 22 − 4 × 1 × 𝑘𝑘 > 0
�𝑥𝑥 + � − � � + 2 𝑏𝑏 𝑏𝑏 2
2 2 Hence the turning point would be at (− , − � � + 𝑐𝑐) 22 − 4 𝑘𝑘 > 0
2 2
(𝑥𝑥 + 3)2 − 7 −4 𝑘𝑘 > −4
𝑘𝑘 < 1

https://bit.ly/pmt-cc
https://bit.ly/pmt-edu https://bit.ly/pmt-cc