QUADRATIC

FUNCTIONS
 Objective

Models real-life situations using

quadratic functions.
(M9AL-Ig-2)
 Definition:
A quadratic function f is a function of the form
f(x) = ax2 + bx + c where a, b and c are real numbers
and a not equal to zero. The graph of the quadratic
function is called a parabola. It is a "U" shaped curve
that may open up or down depending on the sign of
coefficient a.

Examples of quadratic functions
f(x) = -2x2 + x - 1 f(x) = x2 + 3x + 2
Deriving Vertex form from the Standard Form of a
Quadratic Function and vice versa

The standard form of a parabola's equation is generally

expressed: y = ax 2 + bx + c
The role of 'a'
If a> 1, the parabola opens upwards
if a< 1, it opens downwards.
The axis of symmetry
The axis of symmetry is the line x = -b/2a
 Vertex Form of Equation
The vertex form of a parabola's equation is generally
expressed as :
y= a(x-h)2+k
(h,k) is the vertex

•If a is positive then the parabola

opens upwards like a regular "U".
•If a is negative, then the graph
opens downwards like an upside
down
•If |a| > 1, the graph of the parabola widens. This just means
that the "U" shape of parabola stretches out sideways .
•If |a| < 1, the graph of the graph becomes narrower(The effect
is the opposite of |a| > 1).
From Vertex To Standard Form
Equation in vertex form : y =
(x – 1)² To convert equation to
standard form simply expand
and simplify the binomial
square (
Refresher on FOIL to multiply b
inomials
)
 The Graph of A Quadratic function
Regardless of the format, the graph of a quadratic function is a
parabola (as shown above).
•If a>0 (or is a positive number), the parabola opens upward.
•If a <0 (or is a negative number), the parabola opens
downward.
•The coefficient a controls the speed of increase (or decrease) of
the quadratic function from the vertex, bigger positive a makes
the function increase faster and the graph appear more closed
•The coefficients b and a together control the axis of symmetry
of the parabola (also the x-coordinate of the vertex) which is at .
 The Vertex
The vertex of a parabola is the point where the
parabola crosses its axis. If the coefficient of the x2
term is positive, the vertex will be the lowest point
on the graph, the point at the bottom of the “U”-
shape. If the coefficient of the x2 term is negative,
the vertex will be the highest point on the graph, the
point at the top of the “U”-shape.
The standard equation of a parabola is y = ax2 + bx +
c.
But the equation for a parabola can also be written in
"vertex form":
y = a(x – h)2 + k
In this equation, the vertex of the parabola is the
point (h, k).
Example:
Find the vertex of the parabola.
y = 3x2 + 12x – 12
Here, a = 3 and b = 12. So, the x-coordinate of the vertex is:

Substituting in the original equation to get the y-coordinate, we get:

y = 3(–2)2 + 12(–2) – 12
= –24
So, the vertex of the parabola is at (–2, –24).

THE AXIS OF SYMMETRY

Every parabola has an axis of
symmetry which is the line that
runs down its 'center'. This line
divides the graph into two perfect
halves.

In the picture of on the left, the

axis of symmetry is the line x =1.
Axis of Symmetry Formula

There are two different formulas that you can use to find the axis of
symmetry. One formula works when the parabola's equation is in vertex
form and the other works when the parabola's equation is in standard form.
•If your equation is in vertex form, then the axis of is
•x= h in the general vertex form equation y = (x-h)2 + k
•If your equation is in standard form, then the formula for the axis of
symmetry is:
•x = -b/2a from the general standard form equation y = ax2+bx + c
•THE Y-INTERCEPT
A parabola is a visual representation of a
quadratic function. Each parabola
contains a y-intercept, the point at
which the function crosses the y-axis.
How to Find the y-intercept
This article introduces the tools for
finding the y-intercept.
The graph of a quadratic function
The equation of a quadratic function
 Graphing y = x 2

Data Table for y = x 2

And graph the
points, connecting
them with a smooth
curve:
Graph of y = x 2
The shape of this graph is a parabola.
Note that the parabola does not have a constant slope. In
fact, as x increases by 1 , starting with x = 0 , y increases by
1, 3, 5, 7,… . As x decreases by 1 , starting with x = 0 , y
again increases by 1, 3, 5, 7,… .

Graphing y = (x - h)2 + k

In the graph of y = x 2 , the point (0,

0) is called the vertex. The vertex is
the minimum point in a parabola that
opens upward. In a parabola that
opens downward, the vertex is the
maximum point.
We can graph a parabola with a
different vertex. Observe the graph
of y = x 2 + 3 :
 Graph of y = x 2 + 3

The graph is shifted up 3 units

from the graph of y = x 2 , and
the vertex is (0, 3) .

Observe the graph of y = x 2 - 3 :

 Graph of y = x 2 - 3
The graph is shifted
down 3 units from the
graph of y = x 2 , and the
vertex is (0, - 3) . We can
also shift the vertex left
and right. Observe the
graph of y = (x + 3)2 :
 Graph of y = (x + 3)2

The graph is shifted left 3 units

from the graph of y = x 2 , and
the vertex is (- 3, 0) .

Observe the graph of y = (x -

3)2 :
 Graph of y = (x - 3)2
The graph is shifted
to the right 3 units
from the graph of y =
x 2 , and the vertex is
(3, 0) . In general,
the vertex of the
graph of y = (x - h)2 +
k is (h, k) . For
example, the vertex
of y = (x - 2)2 + 1 is
(2, 1) :
 Graph of y = (x - 2)2 + 1
The axis of symmetry is
the line which divides
the parabola into two
symmetrical halves. It is
given by the equation x
= h . For example, the
line of symmetry in the
graph of y = (x - 2)2 + 1
is x = 2 :
Graphing y = - a(x - h)2 + k
Sometimes, the coefficient in
front of (x - h) is negative. If
this is the case, the parabola
opens downward. In the graph
of y = - a(x - h) + k , the
vertex and axis of symmetry
are still (h, k) and x = k , but
as x increases or decreases by
units of 1 starting from the
vertex, y decreases by 1a, 3a,
5a, 7a,… .
For example, here are the
data table and graph for y = -
(x - 2)2 + 3 :
 ZEROS OF A Q.F.

 In your textbook, a quadratic function is full of x's and y's.

This article focuses on the practical applications of
quadratic. The graph of a quadratic function is a parabola.
A parabola can cross the x-axis once, twice, or never. These
points of intersection are called x-intercepts or zeros.
c functions. In the real world, the x's and y's are replaced
with real measures of time, distance, and money. To avoid
confusion, this article focuses on zeros and not x-intercepts.
 Four Methods of Finding the Zeros
 Quadratic Formula
 Factoring
 Completing the Square
 Graphing
 The Quadratic Formula
Often, the simplest way to solve "ax2 + bx + c = 0" for the value of x is to
factor the quadratic, set each factor equal to zero, and then solve each factor.
But sometimes the quadratic is too messy, or it doesn't factor at all, or you just
don't feel like factoring. While factoring may not always be successful, the
Quadratic Formula can always find the solution.
Here are some examples of how the Quadratic Formula works:
Solve x2 + 3x – 4 = 0
This quadratic happens to factor:
x2 + 3x – 4 = (x + 4)(x – 1) = 0
...so I already know that the solutions are x = –4 and x = 1. How would my
solution look in the Quadratic Formula? Using a = 1, b = 3, and c = –4, my
solution looks like this:
Then, as expected, the solution is x = –4, x = 1.
Suppose you have ax2 + bx + c = y, and you are told to plug zero in for y. The
corresponding x-values are the x-intercepts of the graph. So solving ax2 + bx + c
= 0 for x means, among other things, that you are trying to find x-intercepts.
Since there were two solutions for x2 + 3x – 4 = 0, there must then be two x-
intercepts on the graph. Graphing, we get the curve below:
Factoring Quadratics:
A "quadratic" is a polynomial
that looks like "ax2 + bx + c",
where "a", "b", and "c" are
just numbers. For the easy
case of factoring, you will
find two numbers that will
not only multiply to equal
the constant term "c", but
also add up to equal "b", the
coefficient on the x-term.
For instance:
•Factor x2 + 5x + 6.
need to find factors of 6 that add up to 5. Since 6 can be written as the product of 2
and 3, and since 2 + 3 = 5, then I'll use 2 and 3. I know from multiplying polynomials
that this quadratic is formed from multiplying two factors of the form "(x + m)(x +
n)", for some numbers m and n. So I'll draw my parentheses, with an "x" in the front
of each:

(x )(x )
Then I'll write in the two numbers that I found above:
(x + 2)(x + 3)
THEN:
x=-2 and x=-3
Completing the Square:
Solving Quadratic functions
Some quadratics are fairly simple to solve because they
are of the form "something-with-x squared equals some
number", and then you take the square root of both
sides. An example would be:
(x – 4)2 = 5
x – 4 = ± sqrt(5)
x = 4 ± sqrt(5)
x = 4 – sqrt(5) and x = 4 + sqrt(5)
 Determining the Nature of
the Roots
 Determining the Nature of the Roots
If you have a quadratic equation ax2 + bx + c = 0 , then it is
true that
x =[-b (b2 - 4ac)]/2a.
That (b2 - 4ac) is known as the discriminant ().
If > 0, then the roots are real and distinct. Further, if > 0 and
is a perfect square, then the roots are rational.
If = 0, there is one solution to the quadratic equation, or two
equal roots.
If < 0, then the roots not real, incorporating an imaginary
 Example: If -5 is a root of the quadratic equation 2x 2 + px -
15 = 0 and the quadratic equation p(x 2 + x) + k = 0 has
equal roots, find the value of k.
Solution: Since -5 is a root of the equation 2x 2 + px - 15 =
0. Therefore,
2(-5)2 - 5p - 15 - 0 = 0
=> 50 - 5p - 15 = 0
=> 5p = 35
=> p = 7.
Putting p = 7 in p(x2 + x) + k = 0, we get
7x2 + 7x + k = 0
This equation will have equal roots, if discriminant = 0
=> 49 - 4 x 7 x k = 0
=> k = 49/28
=> k = 7/4
Formula: Sum & Product of Roots
sum of roots: −b/a
product of roots: c/a
As you can see from the derivation below, when
you are trying to solve aquadratic equations in the
form of ax2+bx +c. The sum and product of the
roots can be rewritten using the two formulas
above.
Example 1 The example below illustrates
how this formula applies to the quadratic
equation x2 + 5x +6. As you can see the
sum of the roots is indeed -b/a and the
product of the roots is c/a.
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