Chapter 3 Notes

Algebra 2
3.1 Solving Quadratic Equations
Targets:

• Solve quadratic equations by graphing.

• Solve quadratic equations algebraically.
• Use quadratic equations to solve real-life problems.
A quadratic equation in one variable is an equation that can be written in standard form

𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 = 0 , where a, b, and c are real numbers and a ≠ 0. A root of an equation is a solution of the equation.

Other terms for the root of an equation:

Examples: Solve each equation by graphing.

a. 𝑥 2 − 𝑥 − 6 = 0 b. −2𝑥 2 − 2 = 4𝑥

Self Assessment: Solve the equation by graphing.

1. 𝑥 2 − 𝑥 − 6 = 0 2. 4𝑥 2 − 12𝑥 = −9

Solving Quadratic Equations Algebraically

You can use properties of square roots to write your solutions in different forms. When a radical is in the denominator of
a fraction, you can eliminate the radical from the denominator using the process of ________________________ the
denominator.
Solve each equation using square roots.
2
a. 4𝑥 2 − 31 = 49 b. 3𝑥 2 + 9 = 0 c. (𝑥 + 3)2 = 5
5

Self Assessment
2
6. 3 𝑥 2 + 14 = 20 7. −2𝑥 2 + 1 = −6 8. 2(𝑥 − 4)2 = −5

When the equation is factorable, you can solve the equation using the Zero Product Property.

Solve by factoring: 𝑥 2 − 4𝑥 = 45.

Finding the Zeros of a Quadratic Function

Find the zeros of 𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 2 − 11𝑥 + 12.
Self Assessment: Solve the equation by factoring.

9. 𝑥 2 + 12𝑥 + 35 = 0 10. 3𝑥 2 − 5𝑥 = 2

Find the zero(s) of the function.

12. 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 − 8𝑥 14. 𝑓(𝑥) = 4𝑥 2 + 28𝑥 + 49

Modeling Real Life

A streaming service company charges $6 per month and has 15 million subscribers. For each $1 increase in price, the
company loses 1.5 million subscribers. How much should the company charge to maximize monthly revenue? What is
the maximum monthly revenue?

Self Assessment

16. A pottery store charges $10 per mug and sells 40 mugs per month. For each $0.50 decrease in price, the store sells 5
more mugs. What is the maximum monthly profit for mugs when each mug costs $3 to make?
3.2: Complex Numbers
Targets:

• Define the imaginary unit i and use it to rewrite the square root of a negative number.
• Add, subtract, and multiply complex numbers.
• Find complex solutions of quadratic equations and complex zeros of quadratic functions.

Explore!
A. Below are two model solutions for two quadratic equations. How are they solving each equation?

B. Solve each quadratic equation below.

a. 𝑥 2 = 36 b. 𝑥 2 = 25 c. 𝑥 2 = 0 d. 𝑥 2 = −49

In your study of mathematics, you have typically only worked with real numbers, which can be represented graphically
on the real number line. Which equations above seem to have real solutions?

For the equation . 𝑥 2 = 𝑐,

If 𝑐 > 0, there are ___________________ solutions.

If 𝑐 = 0, there are ___________________ solutions.

If 𝑐 < 0, there are ___________________ solutions.

C. The solutions to . 𝑥 2 = −9, solved out in part A, are called imaginary numbers and are usually written as 3𝑖 and −3𝑖.
Based on this description and the solutions in A, what do you think i represents? What do you think 𝑖 2 represents?
D. Sets of Numbers

Try to complete the word map below representing the relationships between the sets of numbers.

Word Bank: Integers, Natural Numbers, Rational Numbers, Whole Numbers, Real Numbers, Complex Numbers, Irrational
Numbers, Imaginary Numbers

E. Which subsets of numbers do each of the values belong to?

4
i. √9 ii. √0 iii. -√4 iv. √ v. √2 vi. √−1
9
The Imaginary Unit 𝒊
Not all quadratic equations have real-number solutions because there is no real number whose square is a negative
number. To fix this problem, mathematicians expanded the system of numbers to include the imaginary unit, I, defined
as 𝑖 = √−1, 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑖 2 = −1. The imaginary unit can be used to write the square root of any negative number.

Practice:

a. √−25 b. √−72 c. −5√−9

A ___________________ written in standard form is a number 𝑎 + 𝑏𝑖, where 𝑎 and 𝑏 are real numbers. The number 𝑎 is
the ______________ and the number 𝑏𝑖 is the ______________________________.

The diagram below shows the relationship between real numbers, imaginary numbers, and pure imaginary numbers in
the system of complex numbers.

Equality of Complex Numbers

Two complex numbers, 𝑎 + 𝑏𝑖 and 𝑐 + 𝑑𝑖, are equal if an only if 𝑎 = 𝑐 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑏 = 𝑑.

Find the values of 𝑥 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑦 that satisfy the equation 2𝑥 − 7𝑖 = 10 + 𝑦𝑖.

Self Assessment

1. Define 𝑖 and describe how you can use it.

2. Identify the real and imaginary part of the complex number 5 − 2𝑖.

Find the square root of each number below.

3. √−4 4. √−12 5. -√−36

Find the values of x and y that satisfy each equation.

7. 𝑥 + 3𝑖 = 9 − 𝑦𝑖 8. 5𝑥 + 4𝑖 = 20 + 2𝑦𝑖 9. 9 + 4𝑦𝑖 = −2𝑥 + 3𝑖

Operations With Complex Numbers

Add or subtract. Write the answer in standard form.

a. (8 − 𝑖) + (5 + 4𝑖) b. (7 − 6𝑖) − (3 − 6𝑖)

Multiply. Write the answer in standard form.

a. 4𝑖(−6 + 𝑖) b. (9 − 2𝑖)(−4 + 7𝑖)

Pairs of complex numbers of the forms 𝑎 + 𝑏𝑖 and 𝑎 − 𝑏𝑖, where 𝑏 ≠ 0 , are called complex ______________. Observe
what happens when you multiply together the complex conjugates below.

a. (4 + 𝑖)(4 − 𝑖) b. (3 + 5𝑖)(3 − 5𝑖)

When you multiply two complex conjugates together, the answer will be a _____________________.

Try It!

Multiply (7 + 2𝑖)(7 − 2𝑖).

Complex Solutions and Zeros

Solve each equation below.

a. 𝑥 2 + 4 = 0 b. 2𝑥 2 − 11 = −47

Find the zeros of the function 𝑓(𝑥) = 4𝑥 2 + 20.

Self Assessment: Solve each equation.

25. 𝑥 2 − 8 = −36 26. 3𝑥 2 − 7 = −31 27. 5𝑥 2 + 33 = 3

Find the zeros of the function.

28. 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 + 7 29. 𝑓(𝑥) = −𝑥 2 − 4 30. 𝑓(𝑥) = 9𝑥 2 + 1

3.4: Using the Quadratic Formula
Targets:

• Solve quadratic equations using the Quadratic Formula.

• Find and interpret the discriminant of an equation.
• Write quadratic equations with different numbers of solutions using the discriminant.

Explore! Recall from Algebra 1, the Quadratic Formula can be used to find the solutions of any quadratic equation of the
form 𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 = 0, where 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑐 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎 ≠ 0.
−𝑏±√𝑏2 −4𝑎𝑐
The Quadratic Formula states that the equation above has solutions 𝑥 = 2𝑎
.

A. Use the Quadratic Formula to solve each equation below.

i. 𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 6 = 0 ii. 𝑥 2 − 3𝑥 + 1 = 0 c. 2𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 + 3 = 0

B. What part of the Quadratic Formula determines whether a quadratic equation has real solutions or imaginary
solutions? When does the formula produce real solutions? When does it produce imaginary solutions?

C. Can the Quadratic Formula produce one real and one imaginary solution?

D. Without solving, use your answer to B to determine whether each equation has real solutions or imaginary solutions.
What would this mean about the graph of each equation?

i. 𝑥 2 − 4𝑥 + 3 = 0

ii. 𝑥 2 + 4𝑥 + 6 = 0

iii. 𝑥 2 + 4𝑥 + 4 = 0

iv. 𝑥 2 − 6𝑥 + 10 = 0
Example 1:Solve 𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 = 5 using the Quadratic Formula.

Example 2: Solve 25𝑥 2 − 8𝑥 = 12𝑥 − 4 using the Quadratic Formula.

Example 3: Solve −𝑥 2 + 4𝑥 = 13 using the Quadratic Formula.

Example 4: Find the discriminate of the quadratic equation and describe the number and type of solutions to the
equation.

a. 𝑥 2 − 6𝑥 + 10 = 0 b. 𝑥 2 − 6𝑥 + 9 = 0 c. 𝑥 2 − 6𝑥 + 8 = 0
Writing Quadratic Equations
Example 5:

Find a possible pair of integer values for 𝑎 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑐 so that the equation 𝑎𝑥 2 − 4𝑥 + 𝑐 = 0 has the given number and type
of solutions. Then, write the equation.

a. one real solution

b. two imaginary solutions

Modeling Real Life

Example 6: A juggler tosses a ball into the air. The ball leaves the juggler’s hand 4 feet above the ground and has an
initial vertical velocity of 30 feet per second. Does the ball reach a height of 10 feet? 25 feet? Explain your reasoning.
3.5 Solving Nonlinear Systems of Equations
Targets:

1. I can solve nonlinear systems graphically and algebraically.

• I can describe what a nonlinear system of equations is.

• I can solve nonlinear systems using graphing, substitution, or elimination.
• I can solve quadratic equations by graphing each side of the equation.

EXPLORE IT! Solving Systems of Equations: Work with a partner.

a. Use Desmos to graph the equation 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 = 4. Make several observations about the
graph.

b. How many intersection points can the graphs of a line and a circle have? Use graphs to
support your answers. What do the intersection points represent?

𝑥 2 + 𝑦2 = 4
c. Consider the system { 1 . Can you use a graph to solve the system? Explain.
𝑦=− 𝑥+1
2

d. Find the points of the intersection of the graphs of the equation in part (c). Explain your method.

e. Write the equation of a line that intersects the graph of 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 = 4 at only one point. Explain how you found your answer.

f. Think of all the ways that a parabola can intersect the graph of a circle. How many points of intersection are possible? Use the
graphs to support your answers.

g. Use you answers in part (f) to write several equations of parabolas that have different numbers of intersection points with the
graph of 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 = 4. Then compare your results with your classmates.
A system of nonlinear equations is a system in which at least _________ of the equations is nonlinear.

𝑦 = 𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 − 4
Example: {
𝑦 = 2𝑥 + 5
When a nonlinear system consists of a linear equation and a quadratic equation, the graphs can intersect in
___________, ____________, or ____________ points.

When a nonlinear system consists of two parabolas that open up or open down, the graphs can intersect in
___________, ____________, or ____________ points.

Solving Nonlinear Systems by Graphing

Solve the systems by graphing.
𝑦 = 𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 − 1 𝑦 = 𝑥 2 − 4𝑥 − 2
1. { 2. {
𝑦 = −2𝑥 − 1 𝑦 =𝑥−2
Solving Nonlinear Systems by Substitution
Solve the systems by substitution.

𝑥 2 + 𝑥 − 𝑦 = −1 𝑦 = 𝑥 2 − 8𝑥 + 12
3. { 4. {
𝑥+𝑦 =4 𝑦 = 4𝑥 − 24

Solving Nonlinear Systems by Elimination

Solve the systems by elimination.
2𝑥 2 − 5𝑥 − 𝑦 = −2 3𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 − 2𝑦 = 10
5. { 6. {
𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 + 𝑦 = 0 𝑥 2 − 6𝑥 + 2𝑦 = −12
A equation in the form of 𝒙𝟐 + 𝒚𝟐 = 𝒓𝟐 is the standard form of a circle with the center (0,0) and radius 𝑟.
When a nonlinear system consists of the equation of a circle and a linear equation, the graph can intersect in
___________, ____________, or ____________ points.

Solving Nonlinear Systems Involving a Circle

𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 = 10
7. Solve the system { .
𝑦 = −3𝑥 + 10
Solving Quadratic Equations by Graphing
Graphing Calculator Steps:
1. Y=, then put the functions into 𝑌1 and 𝑌2 .
2. Graph, 2nd Trace, 5: intersection
3. Move the cursor close to where the graph intersect(s), then hit Enter 3 times. Repeat this step if there
is more than point of intersection.

Solve each equation by graphing.

8. 3𝑥 2 − 5𝑥 − 1 = −𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 + 1 9. −(𝑥 − 1.5)2 + 2.25 = 2𝑥(𝑥 + 1.5)
3.6 Quadratic Inequalities
Targets:
1. I can graph quadratic inequalities in two variables and solve quadratic inequalities in one variable.

• I can describe the graph of a quadratic inequality.

• I can graph quadratic inequalities.
• I can graph systems of inequalities.
• I can solve quadratic inequalities algebraically.

EXPLORE IT! Solving Systems of Equations: Work with a partner.

The figure shows the graph of 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 − 3.

a. Explain how you can use the graph to solve the inequality 0 > 𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 − 3.
Then use Desmos to graph the solution of the inequality.

b. Explain how the inequality 𝑦 > 𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 − 3 is different from the inequality in part (a).

c. Explain how you can use the graph above to represent the solutions of
𝑦 > 𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 − 3. Then graph the inequality.

d. Compare the graphs of the solutions of quadratic inequalities in one variable to the graphs of the
solutions of quadratic inequalities.
A quadratic inequality in two variables, 𝑥 and 𝑦, can be written in one of the following forms, where 𝑎, 𝑏, and
𝑐 are real numbers and 𝑎 ≠ 0.
𝑦 < 𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 𝑦 > 𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐
𝑦 ≤ 𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 𝑦 ≥ 𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐

Graphing a Quadratic Inequality in Two Variables

Graph.
1. 𝑦 < −𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 − 1 2. 𝑦 ≥ 𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 − 8
Graphing a System of Quadratic Inequalities
Graph the system of quadratic inequalities.

𝑦 < −𝑥 2 + 3 𝑦 > 𝑥2 − 4
3. { 4. {
𝑦 ≥ 𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 − 3 𝑦 ≤ −𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 + 4

Solving Quadratic Inequalities in One Variable

A quadratic inequality in one variable, 𝑥, can be written in one of the following forms, where 𝑎, 𝑏, and 𝑐 are
real numbers and 𝑎 ≠ 0.
𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 < 0 𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 > 0 𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 ≤ 0 𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 ≥ 0
Solve.

5. 𝑥 2 − 3𝑥 − 4 < 0 6. 𝑥 2 + 4𝑥 − 32 > 0
Solving a Quadratic Inequality by Graphing/Quadratic Formula
Solve.

7. 3𝑥 2 − 𝑥 − 5 ≥ 0 8. 2𝑥 2 + 4𝑥 − 3 ≤ 0

Modeling Real Life

9. An archaeologist is roping off a rectangular region of land to dig for artifacts. The region must have a
perimeter of 440 feet and an area of at least 8000 square feet. Describe the possible lengths of the
archaeological region.