Quadratic Equations is one of the key topics in the CAT Quant Section (Algebra). The weightage for quadratic equations questions is lower. But these questions will help you boost your score in quant. It is advised to solve the questions that previously appeared in the CAT. To help the aspirants find the quadratic equations questions, we have compiled all the questions that appeared in the previous CAT papers and detailed video solutions explained by CAT experts. CAT Quadratic Equation questions appear in the CAT and other MBA entrance exams every year. Keep practising free CAT mocks where you'll get a fair idea of how questions are asked, and type of questions asked of CAT Quadratic Equation Questions. These are a good source for practice; If you want to practice these questions, You can also download the PDF that contains all these questions with video solutions.
When given more than one equations, stating the fact that there is a common root, We need to equate the two equations to get discernible values for $$x$$
Here, we are given three equations with the values of $$m$$, $$n$$
Similarly, we can do it for the other equation as well, $$x^2+nx+17=x^2+\left(m+n\right)x+35$$ $$mx=-18$$
Substituting the value of either $$mx$$ or $$nx$$ in the original equations, we get $$x^2-18+9=0$$ $$x^2=9$$ $$x=\pm\ 3$$ Since we are given that the root is negative, $$x=-3$$
$$n=-\dfrac{26}{-3}$$ $$m=-\dfrac{18}{-3}$$
$$3n=26$$ $$2m=12$$
$$2m+3n=38$$
Question 3
The roots $$\alpha, \beta$$ of the equation $$3x^2 + \lambda x - 1 = 0$$, satisfy $$\cfrac{1}{\alpha^2} + \cfrac{1}{\beta^2} = 15$$. The value of $$(\alpha^3 + \beta^3)^2$$, is
From the sum and product of roots, we get: $$\alpha\ +\beta\ =-\dfrac{\lambda}{3}$$ and $$\alpha\ \beta\ =-\dfrac{1}{3}$$
Simplifying the expression given in the question, we get: $$\dfrac{\alpha^2+\beta^2\ }{\alpha^2\beta^2\ }=15$$ and substituting the denominator's value as 1/9, we get:$$\alpha^2+\beta^2\ =\dfrac{15}{9}$$
We want the expression $$\alpha^3+\beta^3\ $$, so multiplying both sides by $$\alpha+\beta$$, we get: $$\alpha^3+\beta^3+\alpha\beta\left(a+\beta\ \right)=\dfrac{15}{9}\left(\alpha\ +\beta\ \right)$$ $$\alpha^3+\beta^3+\dfrac{\lambda}{9}\ =\dfrac{15}{9}\left(-\dfrac{\lambda}{3}\ \right)$$ $$\alpha^3+\beta^3+\dfrac{\lambda}{9}\ =-\dfrac{5\lambda}{9}-\dfrac{\lambda}{9}=-\dfrac{2\lambda\ }{3}\ \ $$
We would still need to find the value of $$\lambda$$ This we can do from the initial relation we had:
$$\alpha^2+\beta^2\ =\dfrac{15}{9}$$ $$\alpha^2+\beta^2\ =\left(\alpha+\beta\right)^2-2\alpha\ \beta\ \ \ =\dfrac{15}{9}$$ $$\dfrac{\lambda^2}{9}+\frac{2}{3}\ \ \ =\dfrac{15}{9}$$ $$\dfrac{\lambda^2}{9}\ =\dfrac{15-6}{9}=\dfrac{9}{9}=1$$ This would finally give us $$\lambda^2=9$$
In such questions, we should be trying to complete the squares. We see a $$xy$$ term; we need to accommodate that in a square that has both x and y terms.
Since there is only one other term with x, we also need to have it entirely in the square. $$\left(2x-y\right)^{^2}=4x^2+y^2-4xy$$ Using this in the given equation, we are left with $$\left(2x-y\right)^{^2}+3y^2+3-6y$$
This can be written as $$\left(2x-y\right)^{^2}+3\left(y^2+1-2y\right)$$ $$\left(2x-y\right)^{^2}+3\left(y-1\right)^2=0$$
Since both the squares add up to 0, this is only possible when the squares themselves are 0 This would give us y=1 from the second term, and using that, we get x= 1/2 from the first term.
Therefore the value of 4x+5y will be 2+5 = 7
Hence, 7 is the correct answer.
Question 1
The sum of all possible values of x satisfying the equation $$2^{4x^{2}}-2^{2x^{2}+x+16}+2^{2x+30}=0$$, is
Hence, the possible values of x are $$-\frac{5}{2}$$, and $$3$$, respectively.
Therefore, the sum of the possible values is $$\left(3-\frac{5}{2}\right)=\frac{1}{2}$$
The correct option is D
Question 2
The equation $$x^{3} + (2r + 1)x^{2} + (4r - 1)x + 2 =0$$ has -2 as one of the roots. If the other two roots are real, then the minimum possible non-negative integer value of r is
Given that -2 is a root of the given cubic equation.
=> Dividing the given equation by (x + 2), Using the Horners method of synthetic division:
coefficient of $$x^2$$ is 1, and coefficient of x is (2r+1)-2 = 2r-1 and the constant term = (4r-1)-2(2r-1) = 1.
=> The quadratic obtained by dividing the cubic = $$x^2+\left(2r-1\right)x+1=0$$, Since, this equation has 2 real roots => Discriminant should be greater than 0
=> $$\left(2r-1\right)^2>4$$ => 2r-1 > 2 or 2r-1 < -2 => r > 3/2 or r < -1/2.
=> Minimum possible non-negative integer value of r is 2.
Question 3
A quadratic equation $$x^2 + bx + c = 0$$ has two real roots. If the difference between the reciprocals of the roots is $$\frac{1}{3}$$, and the sum of the reciprocals of the squares of the roots is $$\frac{5}{9}$$, then the largest possible value of $$(b + c)$$ is
Let $$\alpha$$ and $$\beta$$ be the two distinct roots of the equation $$2x^{2} - 6x + k = 0$$, such that ( $$\alpha + \beta$$) and $$\alpha \beta$$ are the distinct roots of the equation $$x^{2} + px + p = 0$$. Then, the value of 8(k - p) is
Let k be the largest integer such that the equation $$(x-1)^{2}+2kx+11=0$$ has no real roots. If y is a positive real number, then the least possible value of $$\frac{k}{4y}+9y$$ is
Suppose k is any integer such that the equation $$2x^{2}+kx+5=0$$ has no real roots and the equation $$x^{2}+(k-5)x+1=0$$ has two distinct real roots for x. Then, the number of possible values of k is
Therefore possibe value of k are -6, -5, -4, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2
In 9 total 9 integer values of k are possible.
Question 2
If $$(3+2\sqrt{2})$$ is a root of the equation $$ax^{2}+bx+c=0$$ and $$(4+2\sqrt{3})$$ is a root of the equation $$ay^{2}+my+n=0$$ where a, b, c, m and n are integers, then the value of $$(\frac{b}{m}+\frac{c-2b}{n})$$ is
Let the roots of the given equation $$5x^{3} + cx^{2} - 10x + 9 = 0$$ be r, -r and p
r - r + p = $$-\frac{c}{5}$$
p = $$-\frac{c}{5}$$ ...... (1)
$$-r^2-pr+pr=-2$$
$$r^2=2$$ ...... (2)
$$-r^2p=-\frac{9}{5}$$
$$p=\frac{9}{10}$$ ...... (3)
Substituting p in (1), we get
$$\frac{9}{10}=-\frac{c}{5}$$
$$-\frac{9}{2}=c$$
The answer is option A.
Question 4
Let a, b, c be non-zero real numbers such that $$b^2 < 4ac$$, and $$f(x) = ax^2 + bx + c$$. If the set S consists of all integers m such that f(m) < 0, then the set S must necessarily be
$$b^2 < 4ac$$ means that the discriminant is less than 0. Therefore, f(x)>0 for all x if the coefficient of $$x^2$$ is positive, and f(x)<0 for all x if the coefficient of $$x^2$$ is negative.
We are given that f(m)<0 and m is an integer.
So the set containing values of m will either be empty if the coefficient of $$x^2$$ is positive, or it will be a set of all integers if the coefficient of $$x^2$$ is negative.
Question 5
The minimum possible value of $$\frac{x^{2} - 6x + 10}{3-x}$$, for $$x < 3$$, is
Since $$3-x=y$$, the equation will transform to $$\frac{y^2+1}{y}$$ or $$y+\frac{1}{y}$$
The minimum value of the expression $$y+\frac{1}{y}$$ for $$y>0$$ will at $$y=1$$
i.e., Minimum value = $$1+1=2$$
Thus, the correct option is B.
Question 1
Suppose one of the roots of the equation $$ax^{2}-bx+c=0$$ is $$2+\sqrt{3}$$, Where a,b and c are rational numbers and $$a\neq0$$. If $$b=c^{3}$$ then $$\mid a\mid$$ equals.
Hence a, b, c are three numbers that can be written in the form of p/q.
Hence if one both the root is 2+$$\sqrt{\ 3}$$ and considering the other root to be x.
The sum of the roots and the product of the two roots must be rational numbers.
For this to happen the other root must be the conjugate of $$2+\sqrt{\ 3}$$ so the sum and the product of the roots are rational numbers which are represented by: $$-\frac{b}{a},\ \frac{c}{a}$$
Since the quadratic equation has negative b, it will cancel the negative sign of the sum of the roots. Hence, the sum of the roots and the products of the roots will be represented by $$-\frac{b}{a},\ \frac{c}{a}$$
Hence the sum of the roots is 2+$$\sqrt{\ 3}+2-\sqrt{\ 3}$$ = 4.
The product of the roots is $$\left(2+\sqrt{\ 3}\right)\cdot\left(2-\sqrt{\ 3}\right)\ =\ 1$$
b/a = 4, c/a = 1. b = 4*a, c= a. Since b = $$c^3$$ 4*a = $$a^3$$ $$a^2=\ 4.$$ a = 2 or -2. |a| = 2
Question 2
For all real values of x, the range of the function $$f(x)=\frac{x^{2}+2x+4}{2x^{2}+4x+9}$$ is:
If we closely observe the coefficients of the terms in the numerator and denominator, we see that the coefficients of the $$x^2$$ and x in the numerators are in ratios 1:2. This gives us a hint that we might need to adjust the numerator to decrease the number of variables.
The maximum value of the expression is achieved when the quadratic expression $$2x^2+4x+9$$ achieves its highest value, that is infinity.
In that case, the second term becomes zero and the expression becomes 1/2. However, at infinity, there is always an open bracket ')'.
To obtain the minimum value, we need to find the minimum possible value of the quadratic expression.
The minimum value is obtained when 4x + 4 = 0 [d/dx = 0]
x=-1.
The expression comes as 7.
The entire expression becomes 3/7.
Hence, $$[\frac{3}{7},\frac{1}{2})$$
Question 3
Suppose hospital A admitted 21 less Covid infected patients than hospital B, and all eventually recovered. The sum of recovery days for patients in hospitals A and B were 200 and 152, respectively. If the average recovery days for patients admitted in hospital A was 3 more than the average in hospital B then the number admitted in hospital A was
We have : $$x^2-xy-x\ =22\ \ \ \ \ \ \left(1\right)$$ And $$y^2-xy+y\ =34\ \ \ \ \ \ \left(2\right)$$ Adding (1) and (2) we get $$x^2-2xy+y^2-x+y\ =56$$ we get $$\left(x-y\right)^2-\ \left(x-y\right)\ =56$$ Let (x-y) =t we get $$t^2-t=56$$ $$t^2-t-56=0$$ (t-8)(t+7) =0 so t=8 so x-y =8
Question 5
If r is a constant such that $$\mid x^2 - 4x - 13 \mid = r$$ has exactly three distinct real roots, then the value of r is
The quadratic equation of the form $$\mid x^2 - 4x - 13 \mid = r$$ has its minimum value at x = -b/2a, and hence does not vary irrespective of the value of x.
Hence at x = 2 the quadratic equation has its minimum.
Considering the quadratic part : $$\left|x^2-4\cdot x-13\right|$$. as per the given condition, this must-have 3 real roots.
The curve ABCDE represents the function $$\left|x^2-4\cdot x-13\right|$$. Because of the modulus function, the representation of the quadratic equation becomes :
ABC'DE.
There must exist a value, r such that there must exactly be 3 roots for the function. If r = 0 there will only be 2 roots, similarly for other values there will either be 2 or 4 roots unless at the point C'.
The point C' is a reflection of C about the x-axis. r is the y coordinate of the point C' :
The point C which is the value of the function at x = 2, = $$2^2-8-13$$
= -17, the reflection about the x-axis is 17.
Alternatively,
$$\mid x^2 - 4x - 13 \mid = r$$ .
This can represented in two parts :
$$x^2-4x-13\ =\ r\ if\ r\ is\ positive.$$
$$x^2-4x-13\ =\ -r\ if\ r\ is\ negative.$$
Considering the first case : $$x^2-4x-13\ =r$$
The quadraticequation becomes : $$x^2-4x-13-r\ =\ 0$$
The discriminant for this function is : $$b^2-4ac\ =\ 16-\ \left(4\cdot\left(-13-r\right)\right)=68+4r$$
SInce r is positive the discriminant is always greater than 0 this must have two distinct roots.
For the second case :
$$x^2-4x-13+r\ =\ 0$$ the function inside the modulus is negaitve
The discriminant is $$16\ -\ \left(4\cdot\left(r-13\right)\right)\ =\ 68-4r$$
In order to have a total of 3 roots, the discriminant must be equal to zero for this quadratic equation to have a total of 3 roots.
Hence $$\ 68-4r\ =\ 0$$
r = 17, for r = 17 we can have exactly 3 roots.
Question 1
Let m and n be positive integers, If $$x^{2}+mx+2n=0$$ and $$x^{2}+2nx+m=0$$ have real roots, then the smallest possible value of $$m+n$$ is
We know that $$x^2 - x - 1=0$$ Therefore $$x^4 = (x+1)^2 = x^2+2x+1 = x+1 + 2x+1 = 3x+2$$ Therefore, $$2x^4 = 6x+4$$
We know that $$x>0$$ therefore, we can calculate the value of $$x$$ to be $$\frac{1+\sqrt{5}}{2}$$ Hence, $$2x^4 = 6x+4 = 3+3\sqrt{5}+4 = 3\sqrt{5}+7$$
Question 1
If the roots of the equation $$x^3 - ax^2 + bx - c = 0$$ are three consecutive integers, then what is the smallest possible value of b?
b = sum of the roots taken 2 at a time.
Let the roots be n-1, n and n+1.
Therefore, $$b = (n-1)n + n(n+1) + (n+1)(n-1) = n^2 - n + n^2 + n + n^2 - 1$$
$$b = 3n^2 - 1$$. The smallest value is -1.
Question 1
A quadratic function f(x) attains a maximum of 3 at x = 1. The value of the function at x = 0 is 1. What is the value of f (x) at x = 10?
The given equation can be written as : $$A^2 * (x-1) + B^2 * x = x^2 - x$$ => $$x^2 + x(-1 - A^2 - B^2) + A^2 = 0$$ Discriminant of the equation = $$ (-1 - A^2 - B^2) ^2 - 4A^2$$ =$$ A^4 + B^4 + 1 - 2A^2 + 2B^2 + 2A^2B^2$$ = $$ A^4 + B^4 + 1 - 2A^2 - 2B^2 + 2A^2B^2 + 4B^2$$ = $$ (A^2 + B^2 - 1)^2 + 4B^2$$ >= 0, 0 when B =0 and A =1 Hence, the number of roots can be 1 or 2. Option d) is the correct answer.
Question 2
Davji Shop sells samosas in boxes of different sizes. The samosas are priced at Rs. 2 per samosa up to 200 samosas. For every additional 20 samosas, the price of the whole lot goes down by 10 paise per samosa. What should be the maximum size of the box that would maximise the revenue?
Total price of all samosas = (2-0.1*n)*(200+20n) = $$400 - 20n + 40n - 2n^2$$ = $$400 + 20n - 2n^2$$
This quadratic equation attains a maximum at n = -20/2*(-2) = 5
So, the number of samosas to get the maximum revenue = 200 + 20*5 = 300
Question 1
Ujakar and Keshab attempted to solve a quadratic equation. Ujakar made a mistake in writing down the constant term. He ended up with the roots (4, 3). Keshab made a mistake in writing down the coefficient of x. He got the roots as (3, 2). What will be the exact roots of the original quadratic equation?
We know that quadratic equation can be written as $$x^2$$-(sum of roots)*x+(product of the roots)=0. Ujakar ended up with the roots (4, 3) so the equation is $$x^2$$-(7)*x+(12)=0 where the constant term is wrong.
Keshab got the roots as (3, 2) so the equation is $$x^2$$-(5)*x+(6)=0 where the coefficient of x is wrong .
So the correct equation is $$x^2$$-(7)*x+(6)=0. The roots of above equations are (6,1).
Question 1
If the equation $$x^3 - ax^2 + bx - a = 0$$ has three real roots, then it must be the case that,
It can be clearly seen that if b=1 then $$x^2(x - a) + (x - a) = 0$$ an the equation gives only 1 real value of x
Question 1
If the roots $$x_1$$ and $$x_2$$ are the roots of the quadratic equation $$x^2 -2x+c=0$$ also satisfy the equation $$7x_2 - 4x_1 = 47$$, then which of the following is true?
For summation of square of roots to be zero, individual roots should be zero.
Hence summation should be zero i.e. A-3=0 ; A = 3
And product of roots will also be zero i.e. A-2 = 0 ; A =2
So there is no unique value of A which can satisfy above equation.
$$\frac{(1-d^3)}{(1-d)}$$ = $$1+d^2+d$$ (where $$d \neq 1$$)
Let's say $$f(d)=1+d^2+d$$
Now $$f(d)$$ will always be greater than 0 and have its minimum value at d = -0.5. The value is $$\frac{3}{4}$$.
For $$d<-1$$ ; $$f(d) >1$$
$$-1<d<0$$ ; $$\frac{3}{4} <f(d)<1$$
$$0<d<1$$ ; $$1<f(d)<3$$
$$d>1$$ ; $$f(d)>3$$
So, for d > 1, f(d) > 3. Option b) is the correct answer.
Question 2
The roots of the equation $$ax^{2} + 3x + 6 = 0$$ will be reciprocal to each other if the value of a is
Quadratic equations are an essential topic in the quantitative aptitude section, and to know similar other important topics checking with the CAT exam syllabus will help. To help the aspirants to ace this topic, we have made a PDF containing a comprehensive list of formulas, tips, and tricks that you can use to solve quadratic equation problems with ease and speed.
Some of the concepts of Quadratic Equations are slightly complex and getting yourself enrolled in CAT online coachingis advised. Click on the below link to download CAT Quadratic Equations Formulas PDF.
1. Quadratic Equation - Given Roots.
Finding a quadratic equation:
If roots are given : (x-a)(x-b)=0 => $$x^2 - (a+b)x + ab = 0$$
If sum s and product p of roots are given: $$x^2 - sx + p = 0$$
If roots are reciprocals of roots of equation $$ax^2 + bx + c = 0$$, then equation is $$cx^2 + bx + a = 0$$
If roots are k more than roots of $$ax^2 + bx + c = 0$$ then equation is $$a(y-k)^2 + b(y-k) + c = 0$$
If roots are k times roots of $$ax^2 + bx + c = 0$$ then equation is $$a(y/k)^2 + b(y/k) + c = 0$$
2. Quadratic Roots Formulas
The General Quadratic equation will be in the form of a$$x^{2}$$+b$$x$$+c = 0
The values of ‘x’ satisfying the equation are called the roots of the equation.
The value of roots, p and q = $$\dfrac{-b\pm\sqrt{b^2-4ac}}{2a}$$
The sum of the roots = p+q = $$\dfrac{-b}{a}$$
Product of roots = p*q = $$\dfrac{c}{a}$$
If c and a are equal then the roots are reciprocal to each other.
If b = 0, then the roots are equal and are opposite in sign.
3. Discriminant Formulas
Let D denote the discriminant $$b^{2}-4ac$$. Hence, depending on the sign and value of D, nature of the roots would be as follows:
D<0 and abs(D) is not a perfect square: Roots are complex and irrational. They can be represented as p+iq and p-iq where p and q are the real and imaginary parts of the complex roots. p is rational and q is irrational.
D < 0 and abs(D) is a perfect square: Roots are complex but rational. They can be represented as p+iq and p-iq where p and q are both rational.
D=0 : Roots are real and equal. X = -b/2a
D>0 and D is not a perfect square: Roots are conjugate surds
D>0 and D is a perfect square: Roots are real, rational and unequal