Quadratic Equations and Inequations

Quadratic Equations and Inequations

Polynomial

Table : 5.1

Algebraic expression containing many terms of the form cx n , n being

a
non-negative
integer
is
called
a
polynomial.
i.e.,
2
3
n 1
n
,
where
x
is
a
f ( x ) a 0 a1 x a 2 x a 3 x ...... an 1 x
an x
variable, a0 , a1 , a2 , ....... an are constants and a n 0 .
4

Example : 4 x 3 x 7 x 5 x 3 , 3 x x 3 x 5 .
(1) Real polynomial
3

f (x ) a0 a1 x a2 x 2 a3 x 3 ..... an x n
is called real polynomial of real variable x with real coefficients.

Example: 3 x 3 4 x 2 5 x 4 , x 2 2 x 1
etc. are real polynomials.
(2) Complex polynomial
f (x ) a0 a1 x a2 x 2 a3 x 3 ...... an x n
is called complex polynomial of complex variable x with complex
coefficients.
Example:
3 x 2 (2 4 i)x (5 i 4 ), x 3 5 i x 2 (1 2i)x 4
etc. are complex polynomials.
(3) Degree of polynomial : Highest power of variable x in a polynomial
is called degree of polynomial.
Example: f ( x ) a 0 a1 x a 2 x 2 ...... an 1 x n 1 an x n is a n
degree polynomial.
f ( x ) 4 x 3 3 x 2 7 x 5 is a 3 degree polynomial.
A polynomial of second degree is generally called a quadratic
polynomial. Polynomials of degree 3 and 4 are known as cubic and
biquadratic polynomials respectively.
(4) Polynomial equation : If f(x) is a polynomial, real or complex, then
f(x) = 0 is called a polynomial equation.

Purely quadratic
2

ax c 0 , where
a, c C and b 0, a 0

Adfected quadratic
2

ax bx c 0 , where
a, b, c C and a 0 , b 0

Roots of a quadratic equation : The values of variable x which satisfy

the quadratic equation is called roots of quadratic equation.

Solution of quadratic equation

(1) Factorization method
Let ax 2 bx c a(x )(x ) 0 .
Then x and x will satisfy the given equation.
Hence, factorize the equation and equating each factor to zero gives
roots of the equation.
Example : 3 x 2 2 x 1 0 ( x 1)(3 x 1) 0 ;
x 1, 1 / 3
(2) Sri Dharacharya method : By completing the perfect square as
b
c
2
ax 2 bx c 0 x x 0
a
a
2
2

b
b 2 4 ac
b
0

Adding and subtracting , x
2a
4 a 2

2a
2
which gives, x b b 4 ac .
2a
Hence the quadratic equation ax 2 bx c 0 (a0) has two roots,
2
2
given by b b 4 ac , b b 4 ac
2a
2a
Every quadratic equation has two and only two roots.

Types of quadratic equation

Nature of roots

An equation in which the highest power of the unknown quantity is

two is called quadratic equation.
Quadratic equations are of two types :

In a quadratic equation ax 2 bx c 0 , let us suppose that

a, b, c are real and a 0 . The following is true about the nature of its
roots.

Quadratic Equations and Inequations

(1) The equation has real and distinct roots if and only if
D b 2 4 ac 0 .
(2) The equation has real and coincident (equal) roots if and only if
D b 2 4 ac 0 .
(3) The equation has complex roots of the form i , 0,
0 R if and only if D b 2 4 ac 0 .

Where the coefficients a0 , a1 ,......., an R (or C) and a0 0 is

called an equation of nth degree, which has exactly n roots
1 , 2 ,........, n C , then we can write
p(x ) a0 (x 1 ) ( x 2 )......( x n )

= a0 { x n (1 )x n 1 (1 2 )x n 2 ..... (1)n 1 2 ..... n }

(ii)

(4) The equation has rational roots if and only if a, b, c Q (the set
of rational numbers) and D b 2 4 ac is a perfect square (of a rational
number).
(5) The equation has (unequal) irrational (surd form) roots if and only
if D b 2 4 ac 0 and not a perfect square even if a, b and c are

a1
Comparing (i) and (ii), 1 1 2 ....... n
a0
1 2 1 2 ..... n 1 n

rational. In this case if p q , p, q rational is an irrational root, then

n
and so on and 1 2 ..... n (1)

p q is also a root (a, b, c being rational).

(6) i ( 0 and , R ) is a root if and only if its
conjugate i is a root, that is complex roots occur in pairs in a
quadratic equation. In case the equation is satisfied by more than two
complex numbers, then it reduces to an identity. 0 . x 2 0 . x 0 0 , i.e.,
a0 b c.

Relations between roots and coefficients

(1) Relation between roots and coefficients of quadratic equation : If
and are the roots of quadratic equation ax 2 bx c 0 , (a 0) then
b
Coefficien t of x

Sum of roots S
a
Coefficien t of x 2
c
Constant term

a Coefficien t of x 2
(2) Formation of an equation with given roots : A quadratic equation
whose roots are and is given by ( x )(x ) 0 .

i.e. x 2 (sum of roots) x (product of roots ) 0

x 2 Sx P 0
(3) Symmetric function of the roots : A function of and is said
to be a symmetric function, if it remains unchanged when and are
interchanged.
For example, 2 2 2 is a symmetric function of and
whereas 2 2 3 is not a symmetric function of and .
In order to find the value of a symmetric function of and ,
express the given function in terms of and . The following
results may be useful.
(i) 2 2 ( )2 2
(ii)

Cubic equation : When n 3 , the equation is a cubic of the form

ax bx 2 cx d 0 , and we have in this case
b
c
d
; ;
a
a
a
Biquadratic equation : If , , , are roots of the biquadratic
equation ax 4 bx 3 cx 2 dx e 0 , then
b
1
a

(vi) 2 2 ( )( )
(vii) 3 3 ( )[( ) 2 ]
(viii) 4 4 ( )( )( 2 2 )

Higher degree equations

The equation p(x ) a0 x n a1 x n 1 ..... an 1 x an 0 ..(i)

d
a

e
.
a
Formation of a polynomial equation from given roots : If
1 , 2 , 3 ,..... n are the roots of a polynomial equation of degree n, then
the equation is
x n 1 x n 1 2 x n 2 3 x n 3 ...... (1)n n 0
where r

2 ..... r .

Cubic equation : If , , are the roots of a cubic equation, then

the

equation

is

x 3 1x 2 2x 3 0

or

x ( )x ( )x 0 .
3

Biquadratic Equation : If , , , are the roots of a biquadratic

equation, then the equation is
x 4 1x 3 2x 2 3 x 4 0
or

(iii) 4 4 ( 3 3 )( ) ( 2 2 )
(v) | | ( )2 4

c
a

3 3 ( )3 3 ( )

(iv) 5 5 ( 3 3 )( 2 2 ) 2 2 ( )

an
a0

Product of roots P .

x 2 ( )x 0

a2
a0

x 4 ( )x 3 (

)x 2 ( ) x 0

Condition for common roots

(1) Only one root is common : Let be the common root of quadratic
equations a1 x 2 b1 x c 1 0 and a 2 x 2 b 2 x c 2 0 .

a1 2 b1 c 1 0 , a 2 2 b 2 c 2 0

a1 c 1
a1 b 1
By Crammers rule : c 1 b1
c2 b2
a2 c2
a2 b2

Quadratic Equations and Inequations

or

b 1 c 2 b 2 c 1 a 2 c 1 a1 c 2 a 1 b 2 a 2 b 1

The condition for only one root common is

(i) a > 0 and D < 0, so f (x ) 0 for all x R i.e., f (x ) is positive

for all real values of x.
(ii) a < 0 and D < 0, so f (x ) 0 for all x R i.e., f(x) is negative
for all real values of x.
(iii) a > 0 and D = 0, so f (x ) 0 for all x R i.e., f(x) is positive for
all real values of x except at vertex, where f (x ) 0 .

a 2 c 1 a1 c 2 b 1 c 2 b 2 c 1

, 0
a1 b 2 a 2 b 1 a 2 c 1 a1 c 2

(iv) a < 0 and D = 0, so f (x ) 0 for all x R i.e. f(x) is negative for

all real values of x except at vertex, where f (x ) 0 .

(c1 a 2 c 2 a1 ) 2 (b1 c 2 b 2 c1 )(a1 b 2 a 2 b1 )

(2) Both roots are common: Then required condition is
a1
b
c
1 1
a2
b2
c2

(v) a > 0 and D > 0, let f (x ) 0 have two real roots and
( ) , then f (x ) 0 for all x (, ) ( , ) and f (x ) 0 for
all x ( , ) .

Properties of quadratic equation

(1) If f(a) and f(b) are of opposite signs then at least one or in
general odd number of roots of the equation f (x ) 0 lie between a and b.
(2) If f (a) f (b) then there exists a point c between a and b such
that f (c) 0 , a c b .
(3) If is a root of the equation f (x ) 0 then the polynomial f (x )
is exactly divisible by ( x ) , then ( x ) is factor of f (x ) .
(4) If the roots of the quadratic equations a1 x 2 b1 x c1 0 and

1 2

a2 x 2 b2 x c 2 0 are in the same ratio i.e .

1 2

then

b12 / b 22 a1 c 1 / a 2 c 2 .

The quadratic expression

(1) Let f (x ) ax 2 bx c,

(vi) a 0 and D 0 , let f (x ) 0 have two real roots and

( ) . Then f (x ) 0 for all x (, ) ( , ) and f (x ) 0 for
all x ( , )
(3) Graph of a quadratic expression
We have y ax 2 bx c f (x )
2
2

b
D
D
b

y a x

a
x

2a
4 a 2

4a
2a

D
b
Y and X x
4a
2a
1
2
Y a.X 2 X Y
a
(i) The graph of the curve y f (x ) is parabolic.
Now, let y

(ii) The axis of parabola is X 0 or x

a, b, c R , a 0 be a quadratic

b b 2 4 ac

expression. Since, f (x ) a x

2 a 4 a 2

(i)

b
0
2a

i.e. (parallel to y-axis).

(iii) (a) If a > 0, then the parabola opens upward.
(b) If a < 0, then the parabola opens downward.

The following is true from equation (i)

(i) f ( x ) 0 ( 0 ) for all values of x R if and only if
a 0 ( 0 ) and D b 2 4 ac 0 .
(ii) f (x ) 0 ( 0 ) if and only if
a 0 ( 0 ) and D b 2 4 ac 0 .
In this case (D 0) , f ( x ) 0 if and only if x

x-axis
a > axis
0, D < 0
(iv) Intersection with
x
(a) Intersection with x--axis
axis : For x axis, y 0

b D
2a
For D > 0, parabola cuts x-axis in two real and distinct points i.e.
b D
.
x
2a
For D=0,parabola touches x-axis in one point, x b / 2 a .
ax 2 bx c 0 x

b
2a

(iii) If D b 2 4 ac 0 and a 0 (<0), then

0( 0 ), for x lying betw een the roots of f (x ) 0

f (x ) 0( 0 ), for x not lying betw een the roots of f ( x ) 0

0,
for x each of the roots of f ( x ) 0
(iv) If a 0, ( 0 ) , then f (x ) has a minimum (maximum) value at
b
x
and this value is given by
2a
[ f ( x )]min (max)

a < 0, D < 0

a < 0, D > 0

a > 0,

4 ac b 2
.
4a

D >0

x-axis
a < 0,

(2) Sign of quadratic expression : Let f ( x ) ax bx c or

y ax 2 bx c

x-axis

D=0

x-axis

For D < 0, parabola does not cut x-axis (i.e. imaginary value of x).
a > 0,

D=0

x-axis

Where a, b, c R and a 0, for some values of x, f(x) may be

positive, negative or zero. This gives the following cases :

a < 0,

a > 0,

D<0

x-axis

D<0

x-axis

Quadratic Equations and Inequations

(b) Intersection with axis y-axis : For y axis x 0 , y c .

Wavy curve method

Let f ( x ) (x a1 )k1 (x a 2 )k 2 ( x a 3 )k 3 ...... (x an 1 )kn 1 (x an )kn
..(i)
a1 , a 2 , a 3 , ......, an are fixed
where k 1 , k 2 , k 3 ..., k n N and
natural numbers satisfying the condition
a1 a 2 a 3 ..... a n 1 a n
First we mark the numbers a1 , a 2 , a 3 , ......, an on the real axis and
the plus sign in the interval of the right of the largest of these numbers, i.e.
on the right of a n . If k n is even then we put plus sign on the left of a n
and if k n is odd then we put minus sign on the left of a n . In the next
interval we put a sign according to the following rule :
When passing through the point a n 1 the polynomial f(x) changes
sign if k n 1 is an odd number and the polynomial f(x) has same sign if
k n 1 is an even number. Then, we consider the next interval and put a sign
in it using the same rule. Thus, we consider all the intervals. The solution of
f (x ) 0 is the union of all intervals in which we have put the plus sign
and the solution of f (x ) 0 is the union of all intervals in which we have
put the minus sign.

Algorithm
Step I: Equate the given rational expression to y.
Step II: Obtain a quadratic equation in x by simplifying the expression
in step I.
Step III: Obtain the discriminant of the quadratic equation in Step II.
Step IV: Put Discriminant 0 and solve the inequation for y. The
values of y so obtained determines the set of values attained by the given
rational expression.
(2) Solution of rational algebraic inequation: If P(x) and Q(x) are
polynomial in x, then the inequation
P( x )
P( x )
P( x )
P( x )
0,
0,
0 and
0
Q( x )
Q( x )
Q( x )
Q( x )
are known as rational algebraic inequations.
To solve these inequations we use the sign method as explained in the
following algorithm.
Algorithm
Step I: Obtain P(x) and Q(x).
Step II: Factorize P(x) and Q(x) into linear factors.

Position of roots

Step III: Make the coefficient of x positive in all factors.

(1) If f ( x ) 0 is an equation and a, b are two real numbers such

that f (a). f (b) 0 has at least one real root or an odd number of real
roots between a and b . In case f (a) and f (b) are of the same sign,
then either no real root or an even number of real roots of f ( x ) 0 lie
between a and b.
(2) Every equation of an odd degree has at least one real root, whose
sign is opposite to that of its last term, provided the coefficient of the first
term is +ve e.g., x 3 3 x 2 0 has one real negative root.
(3) Every equation of an even degree whose last term is ve and the
coefficient of first term +ve has at least two real roots, one + ve and one ve
e.g., x 4 4 x 3 3 x 2 5 x 2 0 has at least two real roots, one +ve
and one ve.
(4) If an equation has only one change of sign, it has one + ve root and
no more.
(5) If all the terms of an equation are + ve and the equation involves no
odd power of x, then all its roots are complex.

Step IV: Obtain critical points by equating all factors to zero.

Descarte's rule of signs

The maximum number of positive real roots of a polynomial equation
f (x ) 0 is the number of changes of sign from positive to negative and
negative to positive in f(x).
The maximum number of negative real roots of a polynomial equation
f (x ) 0 is the number of changes of sign from positive to negative and
negative to positive in f ( x ) .

Rational algebraic inequations

rational expression of the form

a2 x 2 b 2 x c 2

following algorithm will explain the procedure :

P(x )
bears positive
Q( x )
sign and in other regions the expression bears positive and negative signs
depending on the exponents of the factors.
Step VI: In the right most region the expression

(3) Lagranges identity

If a1 , a 2 , a 3 , b1 , b 2 , b 3 R then
(a12 a22 a32 )(b12 b22 b32 ) (a1b1 a2 b2 a3 b3 )2
(a1b2 a2b1 )2 (a2b3 a3 b2 )2 (a3 b1 a1b3 )2

Equations which can be reduced to linear,

Quadratic and Biquadratic equations
Type I : An equation of the form
( x a) ( x b) (x c) ( x d ) A ,
where a b c d , b a d c , can be solved by a change of
variable.
( x a) ( x b) ( x c) ( x d )
i.e., y
4
(a b c d )
.
4
Type II : An equation of the form
yx

(1) Values of rational expression P(x)/Q(x) for real values of x, where

P(x) and Q(x) are quadratic expressions : To find the values attained by
a1 x 2 b 1 x c 1

Step V: Plot the critical points on the number line. If there are n
critical points, they divide the number line into (n + 1) regions.

for real values of x, the

( x a) ( x b)(x c)(x d ) Ax 2
where ab cd , can be reduced to a collection of two quadratic
ab
equations by a change of variable y x
.
x

Quadratic Equations and Inequations

Type III : An equation of the form ( x a)4 (x b)4 A can also
be solved by a change of variable, i.e., making a substitution
( x a) ( x b)
y
.
2

Some important result

For the quadratic equation ax 2 bx c 0 .
(i) One root will be reciprocal of the other if a c .
(ii) One root is zero if c 0 .

(iii) Roots are equal in magnitude but opposite in sign if b 0 .

(iv) Both roots are zero if b c 0 .
(v) Roots are positive if a and c are of the same sign and b is of the
opposite sign.
(vi) Roots are of opposite sign if a and c are of opposite sign.
2

(2) Let f ( x ) ax bx c , where a 0 . Then

Conditions for both the roots of f ( x ) 0 to be greater than a
b
k .
given number k are b 2 4 ac 0 ; f (k ) 0 ;
2a
(i)

(ii) Conditions for both the roots of f ( x ) 0 to be less than a

b
k .
given number k are b 2 4 ac 0 , f (k ) 0,
2a
f ( x ) 0 , if

b 2 4 ac 0 ; f (k ) 0 .
(iv) Conditions for exactly one root of f ( x ) 0 to lie between k 1
and k 2 is f (k 1 ) f (k 2 ) 0, b 2 4 ac 0 .
(v) Conditions for both the roots of f ( x ) 0 are confined between
b
k 1 and k 2 is f (k1 ) 0, f (k 2 ) 0, b 2 4 ac 0 and k 1
k2 ,
2a
where k 1 k 2 .
(vi) Conditions for both the numbers k 1 and k 2 lie between the
roots of f (x ) 0 is b 2 4 ac 0 ; f (k1 ) 0; f (k 2 ) 0 .

An equation of degree n has n roots, real or imaginary.

An odd degree equation has at least one real root whose sign is
opposite to that of its last term (constant term), provided that the
coefficient of highest degree term is positive.
Every equation of an even degree whose constant term is negative
and the coefficient of highest degree term is positive has at least two
real roots, one positive and one negative
If f ( ) 0 and f ( ) 0 , then is a repeated root of the
quadratic equation f (x ) 0 and f ( x ) a(x )2 .

In fact b / 2 a .

If is a repeated root of the quadratic equation

f (x ) ax 2 bx c 0

If the ratio of roots of the quadratic equation ax 2 bx c 0

be p : q , then pqb 2 ( p q)2 ac .
If one root of the quadratic equation ax 2 bx c 0 is equal to
the nth power of the other, then
1

(ac n )n 1 (an c)n 1 b 0

If the roots of the equation ax 2 bx c 0 are , , then the

roots of cx 2 bx a 0 will be 1 / , 1 / .

(vii) Roots are negative if a, b, c are of the same sign.

If is repeated common root of two quadratic equations

f (x ) 0 and (x ) 0 , then is also a common root of the
equations f ' (x ) 0 and ' ( x ) 0 .
In the equation ax 2 bx c 0 [a, b, c R ], if
a b c 0 then the roots are 1, c/a and if a b c 0 , then the
roots are 1 and c/a.

(1)

(iii) The number k lies between the roots of

Then is also a root of the equation f ' ( x ) 0 .

The roots of the equation ax 2 bx c 0 are reciprocal to

2
ax 2 b x c 0 if (cc aa) (b a cb ) (ab b c ) .

If one root is k times the other root of the quadratic equation

(k 1)2
b2
.

ax 2 bx c 0 , then
k
ac

If an equation has only one change of sign, it has one + ve root and
no more.
If all the terms of an equation are +ve and the equation involves no
odd power of x, then its all roots are complex.
To find the common root of two equations, make the coefficient of
second-degree term in the two equations equal and subtract. The value
of x obtained is the required common root.
Two different quadratic equations with rational coefficient can not
have single common root which is complex or irrational as imaginary
and surd roots always occur in pair.