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Home›Algebra

Quadratics

Six units on quadratic functions and equations: the parabola, vertex form, factoring, the quadratic formula, the discriminant and a thrown ball. A function lab draws y = ax² + bx + c as you move a, b and c, and marks the vertex, the axis of symmetry and the x-intercepts.

Progress
  1. 1The parabolaSquare the numbers from −3 to 3 and you get 9, 4, 1, 0, 1, 4, 9. Plotted, they trace a U shape called a parabola.
  2. 2Vertex formf(x) = 2x² + 4x − 4 and f(x) = 2(x + 1)² − 6 are the same function, but only the second shows the vertex (−1, −6) at a glance.
  3. 3Solving by factoringIf (x − 2)(x + 3) = 0, then x − 2 = 0 or x + 3 = 0, so the solutions are 2 and −3. No other number makes the product zero.
  4. 4The quadratic formulaAl-Khwarizmi solved x² + 10x = 39 around 800 by completing a square. The quadratic formula is the same steps done once for every a, b and c.
  5. 5The discriminantFor x² + 2x + 5 = 0, b² − 4ac = 4 − 20 = −16. One negative number tells you, before solving anything, that the parabola never touches the x-axis.
  6. 6A thrown ballA ball thrown up at 80 feet per second from a 40-foot roof reaches 140 feet after 2.5 seconds and lands after about 5.46 seconds.
Sources for this course (6)
  • Curriculum: 교육부 고시 제2022-33호 [별책 8] 수학과 교육과정 (ncic.re.kr/inv/org/download.do?year=2022&seq=10003559&orgType=ogi4, PDF read 2026-10-19: 중학교 1~3학년군 [9수02-19] 다항식의 곱셈과 인수분해(해설의 곱셈 공식 m(a + b), (a + b)², (a − b)², (a + b)(a − b), (x + a)(x + b), (ax + b)(cx + d)), [9수02-20] 이차방정식, [9수02-21] 이차함수의 개념, [9수02-22] 이차함수의 그래프(최댓값·최솟값은 x의 범위가 실수 전체인 경우만), 용어 인수·인수분해·완전제곱식·이차방정식·중근·근의 공식·이차함수·포물선·축·꼭짓점·최댓값·최솟값·평행이동, 「이차방정식은 해가 실수인 경우만」, 「근과 계수와의 관계는 다루지 않는다」, 「구한 해가 문제 상황에 적합한지 확인」; 고등학교 공통수학1 [10공수1-02-02] 실근과 허근·판별식, [10공수1-02-03] 근과 계수의 관계, [10공수1-02-06] 이차함수의 최대·최소와 실생활(제한된 범위, 공학 도구))
  • Textbook: OpenStax, College Algebra 2e , 5.1 Quadratic Functions (parabola, vertex, axis of symmetry x = −b/(2a), general form ax² + bx + c, standard form a(x − h)² + k also called vertex form, f(x) = 2x² + 4x − 4 = 2(x + 1)² − 6, f(x) = −3(x + 2)² + 4, vertex of 2x² − 6x + 7 by −b/(2a) (the completing-the-square example x² − 6x + 7 in the course is our own), satellite dish cross-sections, 80 ft fence: maximum area 800 sq ft at L = 20, newspaper revenue maximum at $31.80 and $2,528,100, ball H(t) = −16t² + 80t + 40: top at 2.5 s, 140 ft, ground after about 5.458 s, rock H(t) = −16t² + 96t + 112: openstax.org/books/college-algebra-2e/pages/5-1-quadratic-functions)
  • Textbook: OpenStax, Algebra and Trigonometry 2e, 2.5 Quadratic Equations (zero-product property, (x − 2)(x + 3) = x² + x − 6, square root property, completing the square, quadratic formula, discriminant table: openstax.org/books/algebra-and-trigonometry-2e/pages/2-5-quadratic-equations)
  • Reference value: NIST CODATA standard acceleration of gravity 9.80665 m/s², about 32.174 ft/s² (physics.nist.gov/cgi-bin/cuu/Value?gn)
  • Reference value: NIST, "Putting the Best Foot Forward" (1 foot = 0.3048 m exactly since 1959; nist.gov/pml/us-surveyfoot, checked 2026-10-19)
  • History block only: MacTutor, University of St Andrews, Quadratic, cubic and quartic equations (Babylonians about 1800 BC, algorithmic completing the square with positive answers; Euclid about 300 BC geometric; Brahmagupta (598-665) admits negative quantities; al-Khwarizmi (c 800) six types, x² + 10x = 39; Abraham bar Hiyya, Liber embadorum 1145: mathshistory.st-andrews.ac.uk/HistTopics/Quadratic_etc_equations).

Checked: 2026-10-18