Quadratic Equations

A term like x2 is called a square in algebra

because it is the area of a square with side x
The adjective quadratic
comes from the Latin word quadratum for square.
So a quadratic equation is one in which the highest index
number of a term with x in is x2
Examples of quadratic equations:
y = x2
y = x2 + 1
y = x2 + 3x - 10

Quadratic Equations
These equations can be drawn as graphs in the same way that we
know how to draw straight line graphs.
By substituting the given values for x calculate the y value for
the following equation:
y = x2
x
y

-3
9

-2
4

-1
1

0
0

1
1

2
4

3
9

This generates coordinates to plot on a graph

(-3,9)
(-2,4)
(-1, 1)
(0, 0)

(1, 1)
(2, 4)
(3, 9)

Notice how the y values

are symmetrical

Plotting these points

(-3,9)
(-2,4)
(-1, 1)
(0, 0)

Quadratic Equations

(1, 1)
(2, 4)
(3, 9)

because x2 is always
positive, even when
x itself is negative
and the value of y
increases at a much
faster rate than x

9
8
7

What is the name of

this shape?
Parabola
Why is it this shape? -10

10

5
4

3
2

-9

-8

-7

-6 -5

-4

-3

-2

x1 x
-1 0x 1 2

10

-1

The -3-2lowest point is called

-4 the minimum
-5
-6
-7
-8
-9
-10

Quadratic Equations
Draw the graph for the following quadratic function
y
2
y=x +1
x
10
9
Complete the table:
8
7
x -3 -1 0 1 3
6
2
1
10

2
y 10
5

4
3

x2 x
1x

Draw the graph

-10 -9

-8

-7

-6 -5

-4

-3

-2

-1

0
-1
-2
-3
-4
-5
-6
-7
-8
-9
-10

10

Quadratic Equations
Drawing graphs of more complex quadratic functions
we need bigger tables with more data in order to be able
to draw the graphs accurately
Draw the graph of this function
y = x2 - 3x - 2
x
x2
-3x
-2
y

-4
16
12
-2
26

-3
9
9
-2
16

-2
4
6
-2
8

-1
1
3
-2
2

0
0
0
-2
-2

1
1
-3
-2
-4

2
4
-6
-2
-4

3 4
9 16
-9 -12
-2 -2
-2 2

Now add all the

values together
to find y

Quadratic Equations
y
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
-10 -9

-8

-7

-6 -5

-4

-3

-2

-1

0
-1
-2
-3
-4
-5
-6
-7
-8
-9
-10

10

Quadratic Equations
Draw the graph of this function
y = x2 + 3
x -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4
x2 16 9 4 1 0 1 4 9 16
+3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

20

18
16
14
12
10
8
2

x
x6
x4 x x
2

y 19 12 7 4 3 4 7 12 19

-4 -3 -2 -1-2 0
-4
-6
-8
-10
-12
-14
2

-16
-18
-20

3 4

Quadratic Equations
Draw the graph of this function
y = x2 + 2x + 1
x -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4
x2 16 9 4 1 0 1 4 9 16
2x -8 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 8
+1 +1+1 +1+1 +1 +1+1 +1+1
y 9 4 1 0 1 4 9 16 25

10
9
8
7
6
5
4
2

3
2
1

-4 -3 -2 -1-1 0

-2
-3
-4
-5
-6
-7
-8

-9
-10

3 4

Quadratic Equations
Draw the graph of this function
y = 2x2 x + 3
x -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4
2x2 32 18 8 2 0 2 8 18 32
-x +4+3 +2+1 0 -1 -2 -3 -4
+3 +3+3 +3+3 +3+3+3+3+3
y 37 2413 6 3 4 9 18 31

50
45
40
35
30
25
20

X
X

X
X

15
10
X
5

X X

-4 -3 -2 -1-5 0

-10
-15
-20
-25
-30
-35
-40
-45
-50

X
2

3 4

Worksheet 1

Quadratic Equations

Draw the graph of this function

y = x2 + 3

20
18
16
14
12
10
8
2

x -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4
x2
+3
y

6
4
2
-4 -3 -2 -1-2 0
-4
-6
-8
-10
-12
-14
2

-16
-18
-20

3 4

Worksheet 2

Quadratic Equations

Draw the graph of this function

y = x2 + 2x + 1
x -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4
x2
2x
+1
y

20
18
16
14
12
10
8
2

6
4
2
-4 -3 -2 -1-2 0
-4
-6
-8
-10
-12
-14
2

-16
-18
-20

3 4

Worksheet 3

Quadratic Equations

Draw the graph of this function

y = 2x2 x + 3

10
9
8
7
6
5
4
2

x -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4

3
2
1

-4 -3 -2 -1-1 0

-2
-3
-4
-5
-6
-7
-8

-9
-10

3 4