10 ways to solve a quadratic equation

Method 1. By guessing a number for x. Doing it this way Don first finds out quickly and makes sure the
youngster knows how to square a number, and how to do 4 - 6
-
!, and knows the rule for substitution (if you
have 2 of the same variables-like the 2 x's- in the one equation, you have to substitute the same number in for both
x's, and the order of o"erations says we have to multi!ly "#x before we subtract that from x
!
below. Don has had
numerous youngsters (age $ and u!, that have done this. Don will start by saying, try a small number, no
negatives, no fractions. %ive me a number..student says &'&. (k let's try that, we'll substitute ' in for x in our
equation)
x
!
- "x * + , - . , /
'
!
-"#'*+,0 -
1+ - 2- *+ 0,-

-
' * + 0, -
2 is not ,- 2o ' doesn't work
3ou're close, only 2 away from -. 4ry 50 (k
x
!
- "x * + , -
5
!
- "#5 * + 0, -
6 - 1" *+ 0 ,-

-
+ * + 0 , -
- , - is true7
2o 5 works, it's one of the answers. 8t turns out there are two answers. 9ind the other answer. Don will take
whatever number the student wants to try, and look at whatever they get and try to get closer to -7 :ventually they
try 20 (k.
x
!
- "x * + , - . 5, /
2
!
- "#2 * + 0, -
' - 1- *+ 0 , -

-
+ * + 0 , -
- , - is true7 so 2 works also.
4he 2 solutions of the quadratic equation x
!
- "x * + , - are . 5, 2 /. ;ow Don says to his student..&this is not busy
work7 4here is something going on here.. look at the two answers 5 and 2, and look at the + in the equation, how do
you get this + from the two answers0& (h, 2
#
5,+. &<nd look at these two answers and how to you get the " in the
equation0& (h, you add 2*5,". Don says &;ow you have the two secrets to solving these equations. 4ry these
equations below, get the two answers for each. <nd don't forget the secrets&.
x
!
- $x * 1- , - . , /
x
!
- =x * 1" , - . , /
x
!
- 1-x * 2' , - . , /
x
!
- 11x * 2' , - . , /
x
!
- 2"x * 2' , - . , /
x
!
- (+ 1>2 x * 6 , - . , /
?heck one of the two answers in its equation to make sure you have it right. ;ow make u! a quadratic equation for
your @om and one for your Dad or a friend. < suggestion) make u! the two answers first, then you can !ut the
right numbers in the equation. :nAoy7
#hat "ower they feel$ %his is not busy wor&$ %here is something going on here$

Method !. 2olving x
2
- "x * + , - for x to get x , , then iterate this function.
Bonathan, at age $, solved this quadratic equation like this)
!a.Ce can get an infinite continued fraction and find a!!roximations of the roots of the equation
!b.Ce'll iterate the function starting with different numbers, then gra!h the starting number vs the limit
of these infinite sequences .
'ee a videocli" of (enny) age 11) do the iterations and ma&e this wonderful) wonderful gra"h.
*+otice that there are numbers for which there is no sequence) no limit to gra"h) but a hole) li&e when x 0.
,an you find other numbers that that will ma&e the fraction -blow u"- and there will be no sequence and
will ma&e other holes in this gra"h. ,an you find a function for these numbers. /ery interesting$0
!c.%ra!h 5 successive '!ieces' of the infinite continued fraction . #here will the three gra"hs intersect.
!d.%ra!h y , , an hy!erbola, then connect !oints whose coordinates are consecutive in!ut numbers in the
sequence, starting with 1, -1,11, '.'"'", 5.+"5, 5.5"=, 5.215,... #1#$
,om"uter "rograms
to iterate the
function " - +>x, in
Mathematica, in
BASIC and a
flowchart. You could
also program your
calculator to do this.

@athematica
gDxEF),"-+>x
;D;estGistDg,1,2-F,1-F
(you define the function, it
starts with 1! ", iterates
#$ times and gi%es 1$
digits for each num&er'

Hasic
1- 8;IJ4 K
2- for ;,- to 2-
5- K,"-+>K
'- Irint K
"- ;ext ;
($ end

Method 2. 2olving x
2
- "x * + , - for x to get x , , then iterate this function.
x
!
- "x* +, -
add "x to both sides
x
2
* + , "x
divide both sides by "
x ,
)he graph of the guess num&ers or starting num&ers to
iterate %s. the limit of the se*uence formed
is shown at the right. +otice, here e%ery starting num&er



&etween , and , will start an infinite sequence which
con%erges, with a limit of 2. , and , go to , and
e%erything a&o%e , and &elow , gi%es a di%ergent
se*uence (goes to infinity'.


+otice that a computer program to iterate the functions in each of methods L 5, L ', and L "
would essentially be the same as for that used for method L2. 3ou would Aust change
the iterating function from say, to .

Method 4. 2olving x
2
- "x * + , - for x to get x , then iterate this function and do the
corres!onding things, as in !a.) !b.) !c. and !d above.
4b.4he gra!h of the starting !oints or guess
numbers vs the limit of the infinite
sequenceformed by iterating the
function , is shown at the right.
;otice that starting with 5, goes to 5, " gives -
in the denominator so there is no sequence,
there is a hole. :very other starting number
will give an infinite sequence that goes to 2,
exce!t the other numbers that arrive at Mero in
the deniminator. ?an you find these other
numbers that will end in a Mero in the
denominator0

Method 3. 2olving x
2
- "x * + , - for x to get x , , then iterate this function and do the corres!onding
things as in !a.) !b.) !c. and !d above. 3ou could also iterate the function starting with -2-, and see what
ha!!ens...yes you will get com!lex numbers, but what will the limit of these sequences be077
Method 6. 2heri solves x
2
- x - 1 , - using a calculator to hone in on one of the two solutions (involves decimals
and numbers like
-
$:
-
" on the calculator.
Method 4. Hy factoring (one of the 'normal' ways
Method 5. Hy com!leting the square
Method 6. Jsing the quadratic formula
Method 10. %ra!h x
2
- "x * + , y (where the gra!h crosses the x-axis will be the roots, if they are real
Method 11. 2!iraling in to the intersection of 2 curves, y,1*1>x and y,x from x
!
-x-1,-
9lash7 4his Aust ha!!ened (1->2+>6+) ?olleen, a $th grader, solved x
2
- x - 1 , - and got
x , x
2
- 1. 4ry iterating this. 8t's exciting when something unex!ected ha!!ens7 4hat's what makes my teaching
interesting and enAoyable. 8've s!ent the last 2 hours working on this in Mathematica. Don't forget to try fractions7
7 find this all very exciting$ 3ou might find more ways- with diagrams07 Ilease let Don know if you do.