EXTENSION MATERIAL

Two more-challenging
2 quadratics
Try this worksheet after you have completed section 2.2

In Chapter 2 you learned different techniques for solving quadratic equations.

This worksheet looks at other equations that you can solve using the same techniques.

Solving by factorizing
EXAMPLE 1
Solve the equation x6 5x3 6 = 0 by factorizing

Answer

( x 3 ) 5( x 3 ) 6 = 0 Remember, x 6 = ( x 3 )
2 2

( x 3 + 1)( x 3 6) = 0 Now this equation is similar to a quadratic

equation of the form ax 2 + bx + c = 0
x 3  1 0 o x 3 1 o x 1
x3  6 0 o x3 6 o x 3
6 Using the zero-product property

EXAMPLE 2
Solve the equation (2x 3)2 10(2x 3) + 9 = 0

Answer
(2x 3)2 10(2x 3) + 9 = 0 This equation is also similar to a quadratic
equation of the form ax 2 + bx + c = 0
((2x 3) 1)((2x 3) 9) = 0
using the zero-product property
( 2 x 3) 1 = 0 2 x 3 = 1 2 x
=4 x =2
2x 3 9 = 0
2x 12 = 0
2x = 12
x=6

Exercise 1
Solve these equations by factorizing.
1 x4 + 3x2 10 = 0 2 2x6 5x3 + 3 = 0
3 x 4 x +3=0 4 3x4 13x2 + 4 = 0

( x 5) + 5 ( x 5) 14 = 0
2
5 (3x 5)2 2(3x 5) 15 = 0 6
2 + x 2 1 + 2x 2 x3 + 3 x3 + 5
7 = 8 = 3
x 2 + 11 3 x 2 7 2 x 4 3x 9
3

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 EXTENSION MATERIAL

Using the quadratic formula

EXAMPLE 3
Solve the equation x4 + 3x2 5 = 0 using the quadratic formula, giving the value of x
to 3 decimal places.
Check your answer using your GDC.

Answer

(x2 ) + 3( x 2 ) 5 = 0 Remember, x 4 = ( x 2 )
2 2

Solve for x2 using the quadratic formula,

(3 ) 4 (1) ( 5 )
2
3
x2 = with a = 1, b = 3 and c = 5.
2 (1)
Only use the positive value for x2
x 2 = 3 + 29
here, as you cant take the square root of
2
a negative number and get a real value.
3 + 29
x =
2 You can check this answer using your
GDC.
x = 1.092 (3 dp) or x = 1.092 (3 dp)

Exercise 2
Solve these equations using the quadratic formula, giving the value of x to 3
decimal places.
Check your answers using your GDC.
1 x4 6x2 1 = 0 2 2x4 + 7x2 3 = 0

3 3x6 + 2x3 + 4 = 0 4 5x 2 x 4 = 0

Oxford University Press 2012: this may be reproduced for class use solely for the purchasers institute Extension worksheet 2
 EXTENSION MATERIAL

Chapter 2 extension worked solutions

Exercise 1
1 x4 + 3x2 10 = 0

( x 2 ) + 3 ( x 2 ) 10 = 0
2

( x 2 + 5)( x 2 2) = 0
x 2  5 0 o x 2 5 o no real root
x2 2 0 o x2 2 o x r 2

2 2x6 5x3 + 3 = 0

2( x 3 ) 5( x 3 ) + 3 = 0
2

( x 3 1)( 2x 3 3) = 0
x 3 1 0 o x 3 1 o x 1

2x 3 3 = 0 x 3 = 3 x = 3 3
2 2
3 x 4 x +3 = 0

( x) 4( x )+3 = 0
2

( x 1 )( )
x 3 = 0

x 1 = 0 x = 1 x = 1
x 3 = 0 x = 3 x = 9

4 3x 4 13x 2 + 4 = 0

3 ( x 2 ) 13 ( x 2 ) + 4 = 0
2

( x 2 4 )(3x 2 1) = 0
x 2 4 = 0 x 2 = 4 x = 2

3x 2 1 = 0 x 2 = 1 x = 1
3 3

5 (3x 5)2 2(3x 5) 15 = 0

((3x 5) 5)((3x 5) + 3) = 0

(3x 5 ) 5 = 0 3x 5 = 5 3x = 10 x = 103
(3x 5) + 3 = 0 3x 5 = 3 3x = 2 x = 32

( x 5) + 5 ( x 5) 14 = 0
2
6

(( x 5) + 7 )(( )
x 5) 2 = 0
( x 5) + 7 = 0 x 5 = 7 x = 2 x = 4

( x 5 ) 2 = 0 x 5 = 2 x = 7 x = 49

2 + x2
= 1 + 2x
2
7
x 2 + 11 3 x 2 7

( 2 + x 2 )(3x 2 7 ) = ( x 2 + 11)(1 + 2x 2 )
3x 4 x 2 14 = 2 x 4 + 23x 2 + 11
x 4 24 x 2 25 = 0
(x2 ) 24 ( x 2 ) 25 = 0
2

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 EXTENSION MATERIAL

( x 2 + 1)( x 2 25) = 0
x 2 + 1 = 0 x 2 = 1 no real root
x 2 25 = 0 x 2 = 25 x = 5

x3 + 3 x3 + 5
8 =
2x 3 4 3x 3 9

( x 3 + 3)(3x 3 9 ) = ( 2x 3 4 )( x 3 + 5)
3x 6 27 = 2 x 6 + 6 x 3 20
x 6 6x 3 7 = 0
(x3 ) 6(x3 ) 7 = 0
2

( x 3 7 )( x 3 + 1) = 0
x3 7 = 0 x3 = 7 x = 3 7
x 3 + 1 = 0 x 3 = 1 x = 3 1 = 1

Exercise 2
(x2 ) 6(x 2 ) 1= 0
2
1

( 6 ) 4 (1) ( 1)
2
6
x2 =
2 (1)

x2 = 6 + 40
2
6 + 40
x = = 2.482 (3 dp)
2

2(x 2 ) + 7(x 2 ) 3 = 0
2
2

(7 ) 4 ( 2 ) ( 3 )
2
7
x2 =
2 (2)

x 2 = 7 + 73
4
7 + 73
x = = 0.621 (3 dp)
4

3 ( x 3 ) + 2 ( x 3 ) + 4 = 0
2
3

(2) 4 ( 3 )( 4 )
2
2
x3 =
2 ( 3 )

x 3 = 2 52
= 2 52
6 6

x = 3 2+ 52
= 1.154 (3 dp) and x = 3 2 52
= 0.954 (3 dp)
6 6

5( x ) 2( x ) 4 = 0
2
4

( 2 ) 4 ( 5 ) ( 4 )
2
2
x=
2 (5)

x = 2+ 84
10
2
84
x = 2 + = 1.247 (3 dp)
10
2
84
x = 2 = 0.513 (3 dp)
10

Oxford University Press 2012: this may be reproduced for class use solely for the purchasers institute Extension worksheet 4