Equations

• In general, when solving an equation we aim to rearrange it in terms of the desired subject e.g. when
𝑥 𝑦 𝑥 𝑦 𝑦
solving for x in 3 + 9 = 0 𝑤𝑒 𝑑𝑜 3 = − 9 → 𝑥 = − 3
• This is especially true when solving complex linear equations (e.g. equations that have variables in
2𝑥−5 𝑥+7 2𝑥−5 𝑥+7
fraction form) e.g. 3 − 5 = 2 where we must group the 3 and 5 together then solve the
10𝑥−25−3𝑥−21 7𝑥−46
resulting equation for x i.e. we do =2→ = 2 → 7𝑥 − 46 = 30 → 7𝑥 = 76 →
15 15
76
𝑥= 7

• The general form for the quadratic equation is 𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐, where b and c are real numbers, and a
is a non-zero real number e.g. 𝑥 2 + 𝑥 + 1, 3𝑥 2 + 2, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 2𝑥 2 are all quadratic equations
• Quadratic equations are equations with at most 2 real roots i.e. 2 real solutions to when it equals zero
Methods of solving a quadratic equation
• We solve any quadratic equation by finding its solutions when it equals zero i.e. 𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 = 0
• According to the factor theorem, every quadratic equation can be factored into the form
𝑎(𝑥 + 𝑧)(𝑥 + 𝑦), if and only if 𝑥 = −𝑧 and 𝑥 = −𝑦 are roots of the quadratic equation (z and y are
any real numbers, and a is a non-zero real numbers)
o Note that not all quadratic equations can be easily or even factorised e.g. 𝑥 2 + 1 = 0 does
not have any real roots and hence cannot be factorised
• If we can factorise a quadratic equation we can then solve it using the null factor law (if ab = 0, then
either a = 0 or b = 0) e.g. in the case of the above equation the solutions to are either 𝑥 + 𝑧 = 0 (𝑥 =
−𝑧) or 𝑥 + 𝑦 = 0 (𝑥 = −𝑦)
Factorisation:
• Whenever we aim to factorise a quadratic equation of the form 𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 = 0 , and the numbers
a, b and c are relatively easy to do mental calculations with, we need to think
−𝑏
• What two numbers when added together equal 𝑎 ?
𝑐
• Then we should check if these same two numbers multiply to give 𝑎
• Remember that for a quadratic of the form 𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 which has 2 roots 𝛼 and 𝛽:
−𝑏
o 𝛼+ 𝛽= 𝑎
𝑐
o 𝛼𝛽 = 𝑎
Completing the square:
• Turning the quadratic equation into a perfect square by ‘adding zero’
• I.e. If we have an equation of the form 𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 = 0 which is not a perfect square we do the
following:
𝑏 𝑐
1. Divide by a if a ≠ 1: 𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 = 0 → 𝑥 2 + 𝑎 𝑥 + 𝑎 = 0
𝑏2 𝑏 𝑐 𝑏 𝑏2 𝑏2 𝑐
2. Then add and subtract 4𝑎2 : 𝑥 2 + 𝑎 𝑥 + = 0 → 𝑥 2 + 𝑎 𝑥 + 4𝑎2 − + =0
𝑎 4𝑎2 𝑎
𝑏 𝑏2 𝑏 𝑏2 𝑏2 𝑐 𝑏 2 𝑏2 𝑐
3. Factorise 𝑥 2 + 𝑎 𝑥 + 4𝑎2 : 𝑥 2 + 𝑎 𝑥 + 4𝑎2 − + = 0 → (𝑥 + ) − + =0
4𝑎2 𝑎 2𝑎 4𝑎2 𝑎
𝑏 2 𝑏2 𝑐 𝑏 2 𝑏2 𝑐
4. Rearrange the equation in terms of x: (𝑥 + 2𝑎) − + = 0 → (𝑥 + 2𝑎) = −
4𝑎2 𝑎 4𝑎2 𝑎
𝑏 𝑏 2 −4𝑎𝑐 𝑏 𝑏 2 −4𝑎𝑐 𝑏 √𝑏 2 −4𝑎𝑐 −𝑏±√𝑏 2 −4𝑎𝑐
→ (𝑥 + 2𝑎) 2 = → 𝑥 + 2𝑎 = ±√ → 𝑥 = − 2𝑎 ± →𝑥=
4𝑎2 4𝑎2 2𝑎 2𝑎
Quadratic formula:

• This is a general formula for x that should be the last resort whenever solving a quadratic equation
• Upon comparing the methods above, we can see that the completing the square method is in fact a
means of deriving and using the quadratic formula!
 • In fact, since the quadratic formula and completing the square method are virtually the same, we
should only rely on one of two methods to solve quadratic equations:
o Factorisation, which should be used only when a,b and c are relatively small integers
o Or just go straight to the quadratic formula
o NOTE: We should also be able to use the completing the square method in case the question
the specifies this!
• As all quadratic equations have at MOST 2 real roots (so not always 2 real roots) a natural question
that arises is how many real roots a specific quadratic equation has
• We determine the number of real solutions to a quadratic equation by looking at its discriminant i.e.
𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑐
o Remember from the surds and indices topic that square roots are undefined for negative
numbers
−𝑏±√𝑏2 −4𝑎𝑐
o So the quadratic formula 𝑥 = is only true when the discriminant is a non-
2𝑎
negative number
o Therefore:
o If the discriminant is > 0, there are two real solutions
−𝑏±√0 −𝑏
o If the discriminant is = 0 we have 𝑥 = 2𝑎 = 𝑥 = and so there is only one real
2𝑎
solution
o If the discriminant is < 0, there are no real solutions

• Simple cubic equations are of the form 𝑎𝑥 3 = 𝑘 (where k is real number, and a is a non-zero real
number)
• To solve such equations, we rearrange to make x the subject, and find the cube root of this resultant
3 𝑘
equation i.e. 𝑥 = √
𝑎
• Note that this solution is unique i.e. there is always one solution to a simple cubic equation
• Whenever solving a complex equation, aim to rearrange the equation in terms of the desired subject,
using whatever methods necessary e.g. if we wanted to make a the subject of v = u + at, we would:
o Subtract u from either side: v – u = at
𝑣−𝑢
o AND divide by the variable t: 𝑡 = a
• Sometimes when an equation is too complex to solve, we need to use some form of substitution e.g.
making u = 𝑥 2 𝑖𝑛 𝑥 4 + 2𝑥 2 + 1 = 0
Simultaneous Equations:
• Sometimes a questions may ask to solve a pair of equations defined in terms of 2 variables
Elimination:
• Whenever solving by elimination, we multiply each equation by a suitable constant
• Subtract each resultant equation from the other
• This should leave us with one variable that we can easily solve
• We can deduce the value of the remaining variable from this
• E.g. if we had the system of equations 2𝑥 + 3y = 18 and 5x + 2y = 1 we could multiply one
by 2 and the other by 3, then subtract these resultant equations to eliminate the variable y
i.e. 2𝑥 + 3y = 18, 5x + 2y = 1 → 4x + 6y = 36, 15x + 6y = 3 and then we do
15x + 6y − (4x + 6y) = 3 − 36 → 11x = −33 → x = −3 which we plug into any one of
the original equations to obtain y = 8
Substitution:
• This means choosing the simplest equation and rearranging it to make a certain variable the
subject
• Then we substitute this into the other equation to obtain an equation containing one variable
only, which we solve
 • E.g. if we had the system of equations 2𝑥 + 3y = 18 and 5x + 2y = 1 we could rearrange
the first equation to make x the subject then substitute this resultant equation into 5x + 2y = 1
to obtain the value of y
3𝑦
i.e. 2𝑥 + 3y = 18 → 2x = 18 − 3y → x = 9 − 2 which we then plug into 5x + 2y = 1 to
3𝑦 15𝑦
get 5 (9 − 2 ) + 2y = 1 → 45 − 2 + 2𝑦 = 1 → 11y = 88 → y = 8 which we plug into
any one of the original equations to obtain x = -3
Worded problems:
• Whenever solving a worded problem, we should try to think:
o What things can be expressed as variables?
o If we can express more than one variable, how are these different variables connected?
o How do I use this to solve the problem at hand?

1. Solve for z: 𝑧 + 2 = 13
2. Solve for y: 𝑦 − 2 = 18
3. Solve for a: 𝑎 + 16 = 450
𝑎+2 1 85
4. Solve for a: 17 + 4 = 68

5. Solve for x:

6. Solve for y:

7. Solve the quadratic equation 𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 − 3 = 0 by

a. Factorisation
b. Completing the square
c. Using the quadratic formula
8. Solve the quadratic equation 𝑥 2 + 6𝑥 + 5 = 0 by
a. Factorisation
b. Completing the square
c. Using the quadratic formula
9. Solve 𝑥 2 − 13𝑥 = 30
10. Solve (𝑥 + 3)2 − (2𝑥 − 1)2 = 0
11. Solve 𝑥(𝑥 + 4) = 32
12. Solve (𝑥 − 7)2 + 𝑥 2 = (𝑥 + 1)2
13. Solve the equation in terms of v: 𝑎𝑣 3 = 125
3 𝑎2
14. Solve the equation in terms of v: √𝑣 + =7
𝑏
15.
3 5
16. Solve the equation in terms of u √𝑢2 + = 𝑦
𝑧
17. Make b the subject of 𝑥 = √𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑐
1 1 1
18. Make r the subject of 𝑥 = 𝑟 + 𝑠
𝑡
19. Make a the subject of 𝑣 = 𝑢 + 𝑎
20. What restrictions would there be in the equations, in questions 14, 15 and 16?
21. Solve these 2 equations simultaneously
22. Solve these 2 equations simultaneously