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The '''quadratic formula''' is the formula for finding the solutions of [[quadratic equation]]s. Students are sometimes taught a method known as ''factoring'', but that's really just looking for a lucky guess.
The '''quadratic formula''' is the formula for finding the solutions of [[quadratic equation]]s. Students are sometimes taught a method known as ''factoring'', however this is quickly tedious or impossible if possible solutions are nonreal or decimal. Using the quadratic equation, the values ''a'', ''b'', and ''c'' (considering the quadratic form ''ax<sup>2</sup>+bx+c'') are substituted into the equation, then solved.
==Usage==
First, the quadratic equation must be reduced to this format:
First, the quadratic equation must be reduced to this format:
:<math>ax^2+bx+c=0\!</math>
:<math>ax^2+bx+c=0\!</math>
Then the coefficients ''a'', ''b'', and ''c'' can be substituted in the formula to find the solutions:
Where ''a''≠0 (if ''a'' were to equal zero, the equation would be linear). Then the coefficients ''a'', ''b'', and ''c'' can be substituted in the formula to find the solutions:
:<math>x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt {b^2-4ac}}{2a}</math>
:<math>x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt {b^2-4ac}}{2a}</math>
==Derivation==
The formula is derived in the following way, which is known as [[completing the square]]:
The formula is derived in the following way, which is known as [[completing the square]]:
You can check that the formula is correct by substituting the formula (with either sign for the square root) in place of '''x''' in <math>ax^2+bx+c=0\!</math> and then gradually simplifying the rather complicated formula that results, step by step. Eventually, if all the steps are done correctly, it will simplify to 0.
You can check that the formula is correct by substituting the formula (with either sign for the square root) in place of '''x''' in <math>ax^2+bx+c=0\!</math> and then gradually simplifying the rather complicated formula that results, step by step. Eventually, if all the steps are done correctly, it will simplify to 0.
==Application to Higher Degrees==
The quadratic formula is most commonly used for solving [[quadratic equation]]s, but can also be used for higher- or lower- degree powers in certain cases. This is achieved by replacing the ''x'' by another variable, for example ''x<sup>2</sup>''.
For example, consider the equation:
:<math>2x^4-12x^2+18\!</math>
Here, ''x'' is to the fourth and second powers. However, it is still possible to use the quadratic formula to solve this. If we suggest that:
:<math>u=x^2\!</math>
Then we can substitute ''u'' into the equation, giving:
:<math>2u^2-12u+18\!</math>
Note that ''x<sup>4</sup>'' equals ''(x<sup>2</sup>)<sup>2</sup>''. Then, using the quadratic formula, we have:
:<math>u=3\!</math>
Keeping in mind that ''u'' is ''x'' squared, we have:
:<math>x^2=3\!</math>
When simplified, we find:
:<math>x= \pm \sqrt {3}\!</math>
This strategy can also be used for powers lower than 2, for instance in the equation:
:<math>x^{2/3}-2x^{1/3}+1\!</math>
In this case, we could consider ''u'' to equal ''x<sup>1/3</sup>''. The solution would be found in the same way as the earlier example.
[[Category:Mathematics]]
[[Category:Mathematics]]