Identify the roots of a quadratic equation from the graph and the factored equation.
Understand connections between coefficients of the second and third terms of a quadratic equation and the roots of the equation.
Students learn to factor equations but often they don't have the conceptual understanding to accompany what they do mechanically with the numbers.
Given the equation of a parabola: y = x2 - bx + c we start with an example with roots 2 and -3. Our equation is y = x2 + x - 6.
Concepts to be emphasized during the activity include:
· 2 + (-3) = -1 or the coefficient of the second term, -b
· (2)(-3) = -6 or the coefficient of the third term, c
· The sum of the two numbers is -1 and the product of the two numbers is -6.
· When a quadratic equation is graphed, it is a parabola
· The roots satisfy the equation so that y equals zero and therefore, most importantly, the roots of the equation can be read from the graph where the lines of the parabola cross the x axis.