Practice questions

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5. Quadratic equations

24. Solve the following equations.

  (a) $(t+5)^2=48$

  (b) $y^2-14y+49=0$

Solution:

(a).

Use the square root property to solve:

$t+5=\sqrt{48}$  or  $t+5=-\sqrt{48}$

Solving for $t$:

$t=-5+\sqrt{48}$  or  $t=-5-\sqrt{48}$

Factoring the square root: $\sqrt{48}=\sqrt{16\cdot 3}=4\sqrt{3}$

$t=-5+4\sqrt{3}$  or  $t=-5-4\sqrt{3}$

25.  Find the value of $c$ such that $9x^2-30x + c = 0$ has exactly one solution.

Solution:

It is given that the quadratic equation has only one solution. So, the discriminant should be zero:

$b^2-4ac=0$

From the given equation, we have $a=9$ and $b=-30$, and we need to find $c$. Substitute the values of $a$ and $b$, and solve for $c$:

$(-30)^2-4\cdot 9c=0$

$900-36c=0$

Solving for $c$:

$c=25$

26. For the quadratic function $f(x)=-2x^2-2x+3$, find the following:

  (a) The vertex

  (b) The line of symmetry

  (c) The maximum or minimum value

  (d) The $x$-intercept

  (e) The $y$-intercept

  (f) The graph of the function.

Solution:

The quadratic function is

$f(x)=-2x^2-2x+3$

Here, $a=-2$; $b=-2$ and $c=3$

(a).

The vertex is $(h, k)$

We need to find $h$ and $k$:

$h=-\dfrac{b}{2a}=-\dfrac{(-2)}{2(-2)}$

 $=-\dfrac{1}{2}$

To find the $k$, substitute $x=-\dfrac{1}{2}$ in the function:

$k=f(-1/2)=-2(-1/2)^2-2\cdot (-1/2)+3$

 $=-2\cdot 1/4+1+3$

 $=-1/2+4$

 $=\dfrac{-1+4\cdot 2}{2}$

 $=\dfrac{7}{2}$

So, the vertex is $\left(-\dfrac{1}{2}, \dfrac{7}{2}\right)$

(b).

The equation of the line of symmetry is

$x=h$

Substituting the value of $h$:

$x=-\dfrac{1}{2}$

(c)

$a$ is negative, so the function has a maximum value.

The maximum value of the function is $k$.

Thus the maximum value of the function $=\dfrac{7}{2}$

(d).

To find the $x$-intercept, put $y=0$. Since $y$ is $f(x)$, put $f(x)=0$ and solve for $x$:

$-2x^2-2x+3=0$

Change the sign of each term, so that the $x^2$ term is positive:

$2x^2+2x-3=0$

You cannot factor this equation, so, solve the equation by quadratic formula:

$x=\dfrac{-b\pm \sqrt{b^2-4ac}}{2a}$

$a=2; b=2; c =-3$

$x=\dfrac{-2\pm \sqrt{2^2-4\cdot 2 (-3)}}{2\cdot 2}$

$x=\dfrac{-2\pm \sqrt{4+24}}{4}$

$x=\dfrac{-2\pm \sqrt{28}}{4}$

$x=\dfrac{-2\pm 5.2915}{4}$

$x=\dfrac{-2+ 5.2915}{4}$ or $x=\dfrac{-2- 5.2915}{4}$

$x=0.823$ or $x=-1.823$

These are the $x$-intercepts.

As ordered pairs:

$(0.823,0)$ and $(-1.823, 0)$

(e).

To find the $y$-intercept, put $x=0$ and find $y$:

$y=f(0)=-2\cdot 0^2-2\cdot 0+3=3$

As an ordered pair, the $y$-intercept is $(0, 3)$.

(f).

Graph:

parabola

27.  A club swimming pool is 30 feet long. The area of the pool is 1200 ft2. The club members want a paved walkway with uniform width around the pool. They have enough material to cover 296 ft2. How wide can the strip be?

Solution:

pool-figure

We are given that the area of the pool is 1200 ft2 and the length of the pool is 30 ft. From these, we can find the breadth of the pool:

$\textup{breadth}=\dfrac{\textup{Area}}{\textup{length}}=\dfrac{1200}{30}=40$ ft.

Let $x$ be the width of the walkway, which we need to find.

From the figure, the area of the walkway

$=$Total area of the pool and the walkway $-$Area of the pool

$=(40+2x)(30+2x)-1200$

$=1200+80x+60x+4x^2-1200$

$=140x+4x^2$

This area can be at most the available material, 296 ft2. So, for the maximum area,

$140x+4x^2=296$

This is a quadratic equation, move everything to one side and solve for $x$:

$4x^2+140x-296=0$

$4$ is the common factor, you can divide that out:

$x^2+35x-74=0$

Factor and solve this:

$(x+37)(x-2)=0$

$x=-37$ or $ x= 2$

$x$ is the width of the walkway that cannot be negative. So, the only solution is $x=2$.

So, the maximum width of the walkway is $2$ ft. Thus, the width can be 2 ft or smaller.