Senior Secondary Oxford Mathematics for the New Century 4A 3 Quadratic Equations in One Unknown

Name: __________________________ Class: __________( )

Lesson Worksheet 3.2 (Intensive)

(Refer to Book 4A P.3.10)

Solving Quadratic Equations by Graphical Method

Graphical Method
(a) All the graphs of y = ax2 + bx + c are in the y y
shape of a parabola. y = ax2 + bx + c y = ax2 + bx + c

x
O
(b) The x-intercepts of the graph of y = ax + bx + c are the roots of thex quadratic equation
2
O
ax2 + bx + c = 0. There are 3 cases:

Case 1 Case 2 Case 3

Graph of y y
y = ax2 + bx + c y = ax2 + bx + c y = ax2 + bx + c y
y = ax2 + bx + c

x
x-intercept(s) O m m, n n p x no x-intercept
O p x
p O
Root(s) of m, n
(repeated roots or no real roots
ax2 + bx + c = 0 (2 distinct real roots)
1 double real root)

Example 1 Level 1
Solve the following equations by the graphical method.
(a) –x2 – 4x – 3 = 0 (b) 2x2 + 2x – 3 = 0
y y
y = –x2 – 4x – 3 x
1
2 1 0 1
x 1
4 3 2 1 0

1 2

2 3
y = 2x2 + 2x – 3

Solution
(a) From the graph, the x-intercepts are ‒3 and –1. (b) From the graph, the x-intercepts are 1.8 and 0.8.
∴ The required roots are ‒3 and –1. ∴ The required roots are 1.8 and 0.8.
Note: The roots obtained are approximate

© Oxford University Press 2023 P.1 4A03 Lesson Worksheets 3.2 (Intensive)
Senior Secondary Oxford Mathematics for the New Century 4A 3 Quadratic Equations in One Unknown

values only.

© Oxford University Press 2023 P.2 4A03 Lesson Worksheets 3.2 (Intensive)
Senior Secondary Oxford Mathematics for the New Century 4A 3 Quadratic Equations in One Unknown

Instant Drill 1.1

Solve the equation 4x2 + 4x + 3 = 0 by the graphical method. y
y = –4x2 + 4x + 3
4
Solution

x
1 0 1 2

Instant Drill 1.2

Solve the equation –x2 + 2x + 1 = 0 by the graphical method. y
y = –x2 + 2x + 1
2
Solution

x
1 0 1 2 3
1

2

Instant Drill 1.3

Solve the equation 2x2  3x  1 = 0 by the graphical method. y y = 2x2  3x – 1

1
Solution
x
1 0 1 2
1

2

© Oxford University Press 2023 P.3 4A03 Lesson Worksheets 3.2 (Intensive)
Senior Secondary Oxford Mathematics for the New Century 4A 3 Quadratic Equations in One Unknown

 Exercise 3B (P.3.15) 1, 2|

© Oxford University Press 2023 P.4 4A03 Lesson Worksheets 3.2 (Intensive)
Senior Secondary Oxford Mathematics for the New Century 4A 3 Quadratic Equations in One Unknown

Example 2 Level 1
Solve the following equations by the graphical method.
(a) x2 + 2x + 1 = 0 (b) 2x2 + 3x  2 = 0
y y
y = x2 + 2x + 1
3 x
1 0 1 2 3
2 1 2
y = –2x + 3x – 2

1 2

x 3
3 2 1 0 1

Solution
(a) From the graph, the x-intercept is 1. (b) The graph of y = 2x2 + 3x  2 has no x-intercepts.
∴ The required root is 1 (repeated). ∴ The equation has no real roots.

Instant Drill 2.1

Solve the equation x2  4x  4 = 0 by the graphical method. y

x
Solution 4 3 2 1 0

1

2

3

y = –x2 – 4x – 4
4

Instant Drill 2.2

Solve the equation 3x2 + 1 = 0 by the graphical method. y
y = 3x2 + 1
4
Solution

x
2 1 0 1 2

© Oxford University Press 2023 P.5 4A03 Lesson Worksheets 3.2 (Intensive)
Senior Secondary Oxford Mathematics for the New Century 4A 3 Quadratic Equations in One Unknown

 Exercise 3B (P.3.15) 3, 4|
Example 3 Level 2
(a) Draw the graph of y = 2x2 + 4x – 3 from x = –3 to x = 1.
(b) Hence, solve the equation 2x2 – 4x – 1 = 0.

Solution
(a) y = 2x2 + 4x – 3
x –3 –2 –1 0 1
 Step : List some pairs of corresponding
y 3 –3 –5 –3 3 values of x and y in the given range.
y
y = 2x2 + 4x – 3
Step : Plot the 5 points on a graph paper.
2

x
3 2 1 0 1
2 Step : Join all the points with a smooth curve.

4

(b) From the graph in (a), the x-intercepts are –2.6 and 0.6.
∴ The required roots are –2.6 and 0.6.

Instant Drill 3.1

(a) Draw the graph of y = –2x2 + 4x – 1 from x = –1 to x = 3.
(b) Hence, solve the equation –2x2 + 4x – 1 = 0.

Solution
(a) y = ______________________
x
y
y

x
1 0 1 2 3
2

4

6

© Oxford University Press 2023 P.6 4A03 Lesson Worksheets 3.2 (Intensive)
Senior Secondary Oxford Mathematics for the New Century 4A 3 Quadratic Equations in One Unknown

© Oxford University Press 2023 P.7 4A03 Lesson Worksheets 3.2 (Intensive)
Senior Secondary Oxford Mathematics for the New Century 4A 3 Quadratic Equations in One Unknown

Instant Drill 3.2

(a) Draw the graph of y = –2x2 – 2x + 3 from x = –2 to x = 1.
(b) Hence, solve the equation –2x2 – 2x + 3 = 0.

Solution

 Exercise 3B (P.3.14) 11, 12|

 Challenging Question 
The figure shows the graph of y = –4x2 + ax – 1. y
(a) Write down the root of the equation –4x2 + ax – 1 = 0
x
by the graphical method. 0
1 1 2
(b) Find the value of a.
5

Solution
10

15
y = –4x2 + ax – 1

© Oxford University Press 2023 P.8 4A03 Lesson Worksheets 3.2 (Intensive)