quadratic equation (redirected from Derivation of quadratic formula)

quadratic equation

Algebraic equation of particular importance in optimization. A more descriptive name is second-degree polynomial equation. Its standard form is ax² + bx + c = 0, and its solution is given by the quadratic formula which guarantees two real-number solutions, one real-number solution, or two complex-number solutions, depending on whether the discriminate, b² − 4ac, is greater than, equal to, or less than 0.

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quadratic equation [kwä′drad·ik i′kwā·zhən]

(mathematics)

Any second-degree polynomial equation.