Running Head: PYTHAGOREAN QUADRATIC

Pythagorean Quadratic
Roshonda Young
AT!!": Introduction to A#ge$ra
Dr%: &ridget Guenthner
'anuary "() !*"+
"
Running Head: PYTHAGOREAN QUADRATIC
Pythagorean Quadratic
In the te,t E#e-entary and Inter-ediate A#ge$ra .ro$#e- (/ on .age +0" states Ah-ed
has ha#1 o1 a treasure -a.) 2hich indicates that the treasure is $uried in the desert !, 3 4
.aces 1ro- Cast#e Roc5% 6anessa has the other ha#1 o1 the -a.% Her ha#1 indicates that to
1ind the treasure) one -ust get to Cast#e Roc5) 2a#5 , .aces to the north) and then 2a#5
!, 3 7 .aces to the east% I1 they share their in1or-ation) then they can 1ind , and sa8e a
#ot o1 ti-e digging% 9hat is , : ; Dugo.o#s5i) !*"!< =
9hen re1erring to the .ro$#e- (/ in the te,t it does not s.eci1y 2hich direction !, 3 4
.aces are going% >o -ost #i5e#y A-anda .aces shou#d end u. in the sa-e destination%
This .ro$#e- 2ritten on .a.er right triang#e is 1or-ed 2ith !, 3 4$eing the #ength o1
the hy.otenuse) and , and !, 3 7 $eing the #egs o1 the triang#e% 9hen a right triang#e is
in8o#8ed) the Pythagorean Theorem he#.s so#8e 1or ,%
The Pythagorean Theore- says that in e8ery right triang#e 2ith #egs o1 #ength
a and $ and hy.otenuse c) these #engths ha8e the re#ationshi. o1 a
!
3 $
!
? c
!
% >o #et a ? ,) $
? !, 3 7) and c ? !, 3 4% No2 su$stitute the $ino-ia# -easure-ents into the
Pythagorean Theorem and the e@uation 2i## #oo5 #i5e this:
,
!
3 ;!, 37<
!
? ;!, 34<
!
A$o8e is the gi8en e,.ression 2ith $ino-ia#s .#ugged into the Pythagorean Theore-%
,
!
3 7,
!
3/, 3/, 3 "4 ? 7,
!
3 "!, 3 "!, 3 +4
A$o8e the $ino-ia#s s@uared%
,
!
3 7,
!
3 "4, 3 "4 ? 7,
!
3 !7, 3 +4
A$o8e the #i5e ter-s 2ere co-$ined%
,
!
3 7,
!
A7,
!
3"4, 3"4 ? 7,
!
B 7,
!
3 !7, 3 +4
!
Running Head: PYTHAGOREAN QUADRATIC
A$o8e $oth sides o1 the e@uation 2as su$tracted $y 7,
!
%
,
!
3 "4, 3 "4 ? !7, 3 +4 is the e@uation a1ter 7,
!
2as su$tracted 1ro- $oth sides%
,
!
3"4, B !7, 3 "4 ? !7, A !7, 3 +4
A$o8e su$tract !7, 1ro- $oth sides o1 the e@uation%
,
!
B /, 3 "4 ? +4
A$o8e is the e@uation a1ter !7, is su$tracted 1ro- $oth sides o1 the e@uation%
,
!
A/, 3 "4A+4 ? +4A+4
A$o8e +4 is su$tracted 1ro- $oth sides o1 the e@uation) no2 #ea8ing the right side o1 the
e@uation to e@ua# *%
,
!
A /, A !* ? *
A$o8e is a quadratic equation to so#8e $y 1actoring and using the zero factor) $ecause
the coe11icient o1 ,
!
is ") there 2i## $e a .air o1 .arentheses to start 2ith and there shou#d
$e a , in each set% >o it 2i## #oo5 #i5e this ;,A< ;,
+
Running Head: PYTHAGOREAN QUADRATIC
Re1erences
Dugo.o#s5i) % ;!*"!<% E#e-entary and inter-ediate a#ge$ra;7th ed%<% Ne2 Yor5) NY:
cGra2AHi## Pu$#ishing%
7
Running Head: PYTHAGOREAN QUADRATIC
3< ? *% Gi8en that the !* is negati8e) there 2i## $e a 3 and B in each $ino-ia#% The 1actors
o1 B !* that ha8e a su- o1 A!* are
A"* and !) $ecause A7;C< ? !* and A"* 3 ! ? A/
;, A"*<;, 3!< ? *
A$o8e is the t2o 8a#ues .#ugged in the $ino-ia#s) the Dero 1actor .ro.erty 2i## $e use to
create a compound equation%
, B "*? * or , 3 ! ? *
A$o8e is a co-.ound e@uation% "* A"* ? *) A! 3 ! ? *
, ? A!) or , ? "*
A$o8e are the 2or5a$#e so#utions to the e@uation% Yet one o1 these so#utions can $e
re1erred to as e,traneous) $ecause it does not 2or5 2ith the situation at a##% There is no
2ay to ta5e negati8e .aces or ta5e negati8e distances in a -easured geo-etric 1igureE so
A! 2i## 1it) so the other o.tion is , ? "* is the .ro.er nu-$er o1 .aces% The treasure #ays
"* "* .aces north and !, 3 7 ? ! ;"*< 3 7 ? !7 .aces east o1 Cast#e Roc5) or !4 .aces
straight 1ro- the roc5 $ecause !, 3 4 ? !;"*< 3 4 ? !4%



C
Running Head: PYTHAGOREAN QUADRATIC 4