A - Definition of a quadratic function

A quadratic function f is a function of the form

f(x) = ax2 + bx + c

where a, b and c are real numbers and a not equal to zero. The graph of the quadratic
function is called a parabola. It is a "U" shaped curve that may open up or down
depending on the sign of coefficient a.

Examples of quadratic functions

a. f(x) = -2x2 + x - 1
b. f(x) = x2 + 3x + 2

B - Standard form of a quadratic function and vertex

Any quadratic function can be written in the standard form

f(x) = a(x - h)2 + k

where h and k are given in terms of coefficients a, b and c.

Let us start with the quadratic function in general form and complete the square to
rewrite it in standard form.

• Given function f(x)

f(x) = ax2 + bx + c

• factor coefficient a out of the terms in x2 and x

f(x) = a[ x2 + (b/a)x ] + c

• add and subtract (b/2a)2 inside the parentheses

f(x) = a[ x2 + (b/a)x + (b/2a)2 - (b/2a)2 ] + c

• Note that
x2 + (b/a)x + (b/2a)2
 • can be written as
[x + (b/2a)]2

• We now write f as follows

f(x) = a[ x + (b/2a) ]2 - a(b/2a)2 + c

• which can be written as

f(x) = a[ x + (b/2a) ]2 - (b2/4a) + c

• This is the standard form of a quadratic function with

h = -b/(2a)

k = c - b2/(4a)

When you graph a quadratic function, the graph will either have a maximum or a
minimum point called the vertex. The x and y coordinates of the vertex are given by h
and k respectively.

Example : Write the quadratic function f given by f(x) = -2x2 + 4x + 1 in standard form
and find the vertex of the graph.

Solution

• given function
f(x) = -2x2 + 4x + 1

• factor -2 out
f(x) = -2(x2 - 2x) + 1

• We now divide the coefficient of x which is -2 by 2 and that gives -1.

f(x) = -2(x2 - 2x + (-1)2 - (-1)2) + 1

• add and subtract (-1)2 within the parentheses

f(x) = -2(x2 - 2x + (-1)2) + 2 + 1

• group like terms and write in standard form

f(x) = -2(x - 1)2 + 3

• The above gives h = 1 and k = 3.

 • h and k can also be found using the formulas for h and k obtained above.
h = -b/2a = -4/(2*-2) = 1

k = c - b2/(4a) = 1 - 42/(4*-2) = 3

• The vertex of the graph is at (1,3).

C - x intercepts of the graph of a quadratic function

The x intercepts of the graph of a quadratic function f given by

f(x) = ax2 + bx + c

are the real solutions, if they exist, of the quadratic equation

ax2 + bx + c = 0

The above equation has two real solutions and therefore the graph has x intercepts
when the discriminant D = b2 - 4ac is positive. It has one repeated solution when D is
equal to zero. The solutions are given by the quadratic formulas

x1 = (-b + sqrt(D))/2a

and
x2 = (-b - sqrt(D))/2a

Example: Find the x intercepts for the graph of each function given below

a. f(x) = x2 + 2x - 3
b. g(x) = -x2 + 2x - 1
c. h(x) = -2x2 + 2x - 2

Solution

a. To find the x intercepts, we solve

x2 + 2x - 3 = 0

discriminant D = 22 - 4*1*(-3) = 16

two real solutions:

x1 = (-2 + sqrt(16))/(2*1) = 1
 and
x2 = (-2 - sqrt(16))/(2*1) = -3

The graph of function in part a) has two x intercepts are at the points (1,0) and (-
3,0)

b. We solve -x2 + 2x - 1 = 0

discriminant D = 22 - 4*(-1)*(-1) = 0

one repeated real solutions x1 = -b/2a = -2/-2 = 1

The graph of function in part b) has one x intercept at (1,0).

c. We solve -2x2 + 2x - 2 = 0

discriminant D = 22 - 4*(-2)*(-2) = -12

No real solutions for the above equation

No x intercept for the graph of function in part c).

D - y intercepts of the graph of a quadratic function

The y intercept of the graph of a quadratic function is given by f(0) = c.

Example: Find the y intercept of the graph of the following quadratic functions.

a. f(x) = x2 + 2x - 3
b. g(x) = 4x2 - x + 1
c. h(x) = -x2 + 4x + 4

Solution

a. f(0) = -3. The graph of f has a y intercept at (0,-3).

b. g(0) = 1. The graph of g has a y intercept at (0,1).
c. h(0) = 4. The graph of h has a y intercept at (0,4).
 E - Exercises: Find the equation of a quadratic function given its graph

Example: Find the graph of the quadratic function f whose graph is shown below.

method 1:

The above graph has two x intercepts at (-3,0) and (-1,0) and a y intercept at (0,6). The
x coordinates of the x intercepts can be used to write the equation of function f as
follows:

f(x) = a(x + 3)(x + 1)

We now use the y intercept f(0) = 6

6 = a(0 + 3)(0 + 1)

and solve for a to find a = 2. The formula for the quadratic function f is given by :

f(x) = 2(x + 3)(x + 1) = 2x 2 + 8 x + 6

method 2:

The above parabola has a vertex at (-2 , -2) and a y intercept at (0,6). The standard (or
vertex) form of a quadratic function f can be written

f(x) = a(x + 2) 2 - 2

We use the y intercept f(0) = 6

6 = a(0 + 2) 2 - 2. Solve for a to find a = 2. The formula for the quadratic function f is
given by :

f(x) = 2(x + 2) 2 - 2 = 2x 2 + 8 x + 6

method 3:

Since a quadratic function has the form

f(x) = ax2 + bx + c

we need 3 points on the graph of f in order to write 3 equations and solve for a, b and c.

The following points are on the graph of f

(-3 , 0) , (-1 , 0) and (0 , 6)

point (0 , 6) gives

f(0) = 6 = a(0)2 + b(0) + c = c

solve for c to obtain c = 6
The two other points gives two more equations

(-3 , 0) gives f(-3) = a(-3)2 + b(-3) + 6

which leads to 9 a - 3 b + 6 = 0

and (-1 , 0) gives f(-3) = a(-1)2 + b(-1) + 6

which becomes a - b + 6 = 0

Solve the last two equations in a and b to obtain

a = 2 and b = 8 and gives

f(x) = 2x 2 + 8 x + 6

Go back to the applet above, generate a graph and find its equation. You can generate
as many graph, therefore question, as you wish.

C - x intercepts of the graph of a quadratic function

The x intercepts of the graph of a quadratic function f given by

f(x) = ax2 + bx + c

are the real solutions, if they exist, of the quadratic equation

ax2 + bx + c = 0

The above equation has two real solutions and therefore the graph has x intercepts
when the discriminant D = b2 - 4ac is positive. It has one repeated solution when D is
equal to zero. The solutions are given by the quadratic formulas

x1 = (-b + sqrt(D))/2a

and
x2 = (-b - sqrt(D))/2a

Example: Find the x intercepts for the graph of each function given below

a. f(x) = x2 + 2x - 3
b. g(x) = -x2 + 2x - 1
c. h(x) = -2x2 + 2x - 2

Solution

a. To find the x intercepts, we solve

x2 + 2x - 3 = 0

discriminant D = 22 - 4*1*(-3) = 16

two real solutions:

x1 = (-2 + sqrt(16))/(2*1) = 1
and
x2 = (-2 - sqrt(16))/(2*1) = -3
 The graph of function in part a) has two x intercepts are at the points (1,0) and (-
3,0)

b. We solve -x2 + 2x - 1 = 0

discriminant D = 22 - 4*(-1)*(-1) = 0

one repeated real solutions x1 = -b/2a = -2/-2 = 1

The graph of function in part b) has one x intercept at (1,0).

c. We solve -2x2 + 2x - 2 = 0

discriminant D = 22 - 4*(-2)*(-2) = -12

No real solutions for the above equation

No x intercept for the graph of function in part c).

D - y intercepts of the graph of a quadratic function

The y intercept of the graph of a quadratic function is given by f(0) = c.

Example: Find the y intercept of the graph of the following quadratic functions.

a. f(x) = x2 + 2x - 3
b. g(x) = 4x2 - x + 1
c. h(x) = -x2 + 4x + 4

Solution

a. f(0) = -3. The graph of f has a y intercept at (0,-3).

b. g(0) = 1. The graph of g has a y intercept at (0,1).
c. h(0) = 4. The graph of h has a y intercept at (0,4).

E - Exercises: Find the equation of a quadratic function given its graph

Example: Find the graph of the quadratic function f whose graph is shown below.
Solution

There are several methods to answer the above question but all of them have one idea
in common: you need to understand and then select the right information from the
graph.

method 1:

The above graph has two x intercepts at (-3,0) and (-1,0) and a y intercept at (0,6). The
x coordinates of the x intercepts can be used to write the equation of function f as
follows:

f(x) = a(x + 3)(x + 1)

We now use the y intercept f(0) = 6

6 = a(0 + 3)(0 + 1)

and solve for a to find a = 2. The formula for the quadratic function f is given by :

f(x) = 2(x + 3)(x + 1) = 2x 2 + 8 x + 6

method 2:

The above parabola has a vertex at (-2 , -2) and a y intercept at (0,6). The standard (or
vertex) form of a quadratic function f can be written
f(x) = a(x + 2) 2 - 2

We use the y intercept f(0) = 6

6 = a(0 + 2) 2 - 2. Solve for a to find a = 2. The formula for the quadratic function f is
given by :

f(x) = 2(x + 2) 2 - 2 = 2x 2 + 8 x + 6

method 3:

Since a quadratic function has the form

f(x) = ax2 + bx + c

we need 3 points on the graph of f in order to write 3 equations and solve for a, b and c.

The following points are on the graph of f

(-3 , 0) , (-1 , 0) and (0 , 6)

point (0 , 6) gives

f(0) = 6 = a(0)2 + b(0) + c = c

solve for c to obtain c = 6
The two other points gives two more equations

(-3 , 0) gives f(-3) = a(-3)2 + b(-3) + 6

which leads to 9 a - 3 b + 6 = 0

and (-1 , 0) gives f(-3) = a(-1)2 + b(-1) + 6

which becomes a - b + 6 = 0

Solve the last two equations in a and b to obtain

a = 2 and b = 8 and gives

f(x) = 2x 2 + 8 x + 6