Sample content WEEK 4 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS PART 1 1. How might the intercepts of a quadratic function be computed? Solution: Y intercept: put x = 0 then we will simply get the y point and the y intercept will be that point and it is written as (0,y1) where y1 is the point we found by putting x = 0 To calculate the x intercept put y = 0 and find the roots of the quadratic equation If the roots are real then it will intersect the x axis (or we will have x intercept), after finding the roots x intercept will be (x1,0) and (x2,0) To explain the whole process lets take an example: Y=x2-5x+6 To find the y intercept put x = 0 We get y = 6 Therefore y intercept (0, 6) Now to find x intercept put y = 0 X2-5x+6=0 X2 -3x-2x+6=0 X(x-3)-2(x-3)=0 (x-3)(x-2)=0 Therefore roots = 2, 3 Or x intercept = (2, 0) and (3, 0) Note: that there are various ways to find the roots of the quadratic equation It can find by using graph, by using formula or factorizing it direc