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Elimination Using Multiplication
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Working with Percentages and Proportions
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The Quadratic Formula
Multiply by the Reciprocal
Relating Equations and Graphs for Quadratic Functions
Multiplying a Polynomial by a Monomial
Calculating Percentages
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Negative Rational Exponents
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Intercepts Given Ordered Pairs and Lines
Factoring Polynomials
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The Addition Method
Finding the Equation of an Inverse Function
Solving Compound Linear Inequalities
Multiplying and Dividing With Square Roots
Exponents and Their Properties
Equations as Functions
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Factoring Trinomials
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Standard Form for the Equation of a Line
Fractions
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Elimination Using Addition and Subtraction
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Multiplication Property of Equality
Solving Proportions Using Cross Multiplication
Product and Quotient of Functions
Adding
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Changing Improper Fractions to Mixed Numbers
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Properties of Exponents
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Dividing a Polynomial by a Monomial
Writing Numbers in Scientific Notation
Solutions to Linear Equations in Two Variables
Solving Linear Inequalities
Multiplying Two Mixed Numbers with the Same Fraction
Special Fractions
Solving a Quadratic Inequality
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Solving Equations with a Fractional Exponent
Evaluating Trigonometric Functions
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Solving Inequalities with Fractions and Parentheses
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Relating Equations and Graphs for Quadratic Functions

Quadratic Equations

A quadratic equation is an equation that can be simplified to follow the pattern:

y = a · x 2 + b · x + c,

where the letter x represents the input, the letter y represents the value of the output and the letters a, b and c are all numbers. Sometimes the numbers a, b and c are referred to as coefficients.

For an equation to be a quadratic equation, the number that multiplies the x 2, that is, the number a cannot be equal to zero. It is okay for either or both of the numbers b and c to be equal to zero, but a cannot be equal to zero.

Sometimes you might see a quadratic equation written in a format like:

y = x 2 + 2 · x + 3,

and wonder if this is okay, as there does not seem to be a value of a multiplying in front of the x 2. In this situation everything is okay, because the value of the number a in this situation is a = 1. We could write 1 · x 2 in the quadratic equation, but because a factor of “1” does not change the value of anything, the factor of “1” in 1 · x 2 is usually just left out.

Other Ways of Writing Quadratic Equations

The format for a quadratic equation given above,

y = a · x 2 + b · x + c,

where the letter x represents the input, the letter y represents the value of the output and the letters a, b and c are all numbers, is called standard form.

Other ways of writing the equations for quadratic functions include vertex form,

y = a · (x - h) 2 + k,

where the letter x represents the value of the input, the letter y represents the value of the output and the letters a, h and k all represent numbers. Just as in standard form, in vertex form the number a cannot be equal to zero. Converting a quadratic equation to vertex form is often quite helpful as it allows you to determine exactly where the graph of the quadratic equation reaches its “low point” or “high point” very easily. Every single quadratic formula can be converted to vertex form. The process for doing this conversion is called completing the square.

 The third common way of writing the formula for a quadratic function is called factored form in which the quadratic function is written as a product of two factors,

y = a · (x - c) · (x - d).

Many (but not all) quadratic functions can be written in factored form. The quadratic functions that can be written in factored form are the ones whose graphs touch the x-axis in at least one place. If the graph of the quadratic function never touches the x-axis then the formula of the quadratic function cannot be converted to factored form.

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